2010 Relay For Life

The 2010 Relay For Life for Morrow County is fast approaching. There are only 59 days left. While that seems far away for some people, as a team captain, it's right around the corner. There is always so much to do. Our County theme this year is "Around the World for a Cure". Each team chooses a country to represent. The hospital's team chose Mexico. We have a large variety of decorations collected thus far and hopefully, this year we can collect 1st place for campsite decorations. We will be selling nachos, cheese and salsa as an onsite fundraiser. Raffle tickets will also be sold for a 5 foot ( yes--that's 5 foot tall) American Cancer Society plush bear. She is so precious and has had a home on my settee in the living room for the past 4 months. I won her at a Relay rally and decided she would make a great raffle item as a fundraiser. I'll post a picture later. I hate to see her leave her perch on my couch, but it all goes for a great cause.

Again this year, I am seeking donations to help me reach my personal goal of raising $1000.00. Click on the thermometer link to reach a secure site for donating what you can with a credit card. If you wish to donate with a check, you may do so. Make the check out to: The American Cancer Society and mail to me.

Connie Mattingly
278 S Delaware St
Mt. Gilead, OH 43338

You may follow our relay by going to
www.relayforlife.org/morrow From this website, you may click on teams and find my name (towards the bottom of the list), click on my name and from this secure site, make a donation as well.

In addition, you may purchase a luminaria "In Honor of" or "In Memory of". Each luminaria cost $10.00 and the name will be read and be displayed on the big screen during our luminaria ceremony. Let me know if you wish to purchase one.

You may find me on facebook
Connie Spradlin Mattingly.

I'll keep you updated as we get closer.

Connie

Relay For Life

Relay For Life 2009 is over with, but not for donations. We have until August 31 to continue to add to our total of $4230.50. Our goal is $5000, so we are not that far away. Relay was fun for all those who attended. Our campsite was the only one with activities for the kids. Temporary tattoos (cowboy designs) and hair coloring with temporary hair spray were the biggest hits. Where else can you get a tattoo for a quarter? Our campsite was "How The West Was Won-One Cure at a Time". We took third place out of 19 campsites. Here are some pictures --the early stages of setting up and then almost done.






The survivor walk was one of the biggest groups we've had in many years. This year I was upfront and helping carry the banner. That's me on the far right.





The luminaria ceremony was great. My luminaries included one for myself as a survivor (Thanks Colin for buying my luminary)


I also bought luminaries for my Uncle Robert who is a prostate cancer survivor, as well as In Honor of my Grandmother-Myrtle Abshier, my aunts-Christine Cook and Juanita Price, and my uncle-Glenn Shafer.

You may continue to donate by sending a check made out to the American Cancer Society and mail it to my home address listed in previous posts.

Thanks for all who supported and I'm looking forward to next year.

Getting closer

Relay For Life is fast approaching with 5 weeks left. There is so much to do or our team to be ready. The team members have been collecting money and luminary names for our bags. Our on-site fundraisers are set and I have ordered supplies and other team members are obtaining donations for food, etc. We've had a couple of team meetings so far and everyone has been great about voluntering to help with different activities. Our plan is to have our campsite set up as part of an old west town. Our "Waterin Hole" will be selling rattlesnake on bread (hot dogs), fried taters (chips), sasparilla (softdrinks), Kick em up juice (gatorade), and cow patties (No-bake cookies). Our Mercantile will be selling oldfashioned candy sticks, lollipops, glow sticks (for our light up the night lap at 2:00 in the morning), and we have 3 Raffle items - a 2009 American Cancer Society Boyd's Bear named Carrie N. Hope, a garden bench, and a primitive box that lights up. Raffle tickets are $1.00 a piece or 6 for $5.00 if anyone is interested. Below is a pic of the Boyd's Bear.


We will also have a Barbershop and Tattoo parlor where we will spray paint your hair in your school colors for our Show your school spirit lap at 10:2030pm and temporary tattoos with a variety for both girls and boys.

In addition we have our church where we will be selling Messages to Heaven which will become part of the luminary ceremony.

I am halfway through my personal goal of $750.00 and am still accepting donations if anyone is interested in donating. Please see earlier posts for mailing address. Remember, not only is this for a great cause, but it is a charitable tax donation. If your company needs tax write-offs, they may donate as well under corporate sponsorship. If their donation if 500 or more, their company logo will be placed on our shirts and a banner displayed around the track.

Thanks to all who have given money thus far. Every little bit helps. You may follow our teams and obtain further information by going to http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=16460

My name is listed there. I am currently in 4th place for donations. Here is my personal site: http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLFY09OH?px=11277889&pg=personal&fr_id=16460

Connie's Cowpokes

2008 Morrow County Relay Survivor's Lap. I'm in the third row and behind someone. Last's year's theme was based on Christmas.

For 2009 - It's official. I am the Team Captain for the hospital's Relay for Life team. Our county-wide Relay is a Western theme and the title is "Lasso for a Cure". "Connie's Cowpokes" will be our team name with our campsite theme "How The West Was Won - 1 cure at a time. We are planning several fundraisers at our campsite. More to follow Our team goal is $10,000. Please help our team efforts by sending in a donation. Remember your check made out to the American Cancer Society and mailed to me is a tax deduction. You will receive a letter from the American Cancer Society thanking you for your gift. My address is listed below on an earlier posting. Remember to make your check donation to the American Cancer Society.

Luminary Ceremony

The luminary ceremony takes place at dark. All of the names are read, both in Honor of and in Memory of. The bags are not placed on the track until shortly before the ceremony begins. At dusk, poems are read, special songs might be sung, or a cancer survivor gives an uplifting story. Shortly before all the stadium lights are turned off, candles are lit in each of the sand-filled bags. This past year, our event used the glow sticks which lasted longer. After all the names are read a moment of silence is taken for us to give thanks for all that has been done in cancer research and all that is soon to take place with eraditcating cancer from our lives. It is also a time of reflection to remember those whose names were read "In Memory of" and to be thankful for those who have survived this dreaded disease "In Honor of".

This past year, our hospital team also sold "Memories to Heaven", where you could purchase a blank note for $1.00, write your own note to your loved ones in heaven, place it in a balloon, and we would fill it with helium. At the end of our luminary ceremony, the balloons were released to be lifted to heaven with all our notes. We held spotlights on the balloons as they drifted upward. Since there was no wind that night, our balloons went straight upward. It was a beautiful sight as we held the spotlights on the balloons until we could no longer see them.

Please donate to this cause by sending a check in an amount you can afford made out to the American Cancer Society.

Send your check to:

Connie Mattingly

278 S Delaware

Mt. Gilead, OH 43338

If you wish to purchase a luminary

send $10.00 in the form of a check as above. On the memo area, write luminary.

You need to include

In memory of or

In Honor of

and the name of the person.

If you wish, I would be glad to send you a picture of your luminary at the event's ceremony. Please let me know.

Relay For Life beginnings

If you've never been to a Relay for Life event, I encourage you to find one in your area. Start a team, join a team, or go for the fun and activities that will be there. It is a touching event with tears of rememberance to those friends and family members we have lost to cancer, it is a time of joy for those of us who have survived the disease and it is a time of fundraising to find a cure.
Relay For Life is a unique event that allows participants from all walks of life to join together to fight cancer. Relay For Life reminds people that progress has been made in the fight against cancer and that everyone who participates is making a difference. Participating cancer survivors are given special sashes to wear as they lead a special Victory Lap around the track in honor of their triumph over cancer. The Victory Lap is one of the most moving experiences of my life. Each year I'm overwhelmed by the crowds of people who surround the track cheering on survivors like myself. It reminds me that I'm not alone in my fight against cancer. As participants make new friends and spend time with old ones, the relay celebration and camp-out begins. Team members come together to celebrate, barbecue, play games and walk the track for a worthy cause.

Highlighting the evening is the Luminaria Ceremony, held after dark to honor cancer survivors and to remember those who have lost the battle against cancer. Hundreds of luminaria (bags filled with sand and a lit candle) line the track and are left burning throughout the night to remind participants of the importance of their contributions.

Relay for Life is a fun, family-oriented event. All proceeds raised during Relay for Life will help the American Cancer Society provide educational and patient services, as well as help fund cancer research.

Last year, I walked a total of 14 1/2 miles from 6:00 PM on Friday through Saturday morning at 10:00 AM. This year my goal is 16 miles. I raised almost $500.00 for our team and we received a Platitum award. We were only $300.00 away from receiving the Gold award, which we had won the previous 4 years.

This year my goal is $750.00 and I am asking for your help. Please send whatever you feel you are able to afford in the form of a check made out to the American Cancer Society. This ensures that the American Cancer Society will send you a receipt that can be used for a charitable donation on next year's taxes. In the meantime, the money will be put to good use for research projects for a cancer cure.

Checks should be mailed to:
Connie Mattingly
278 S Delaware
Mt. Gilead, Oh 43338