Although many teams left early due to rains, the 13th annual Livingston County Relay for Life at Dansville was still a success and another memorable moment for all who participated.
As is usual for the Relay, it kicked off with a Survivors Lap. But for the first time, cancer survivors entered Ralph Clements Field in grand fashion riding a float in their very own parade which began at the Dansville Central School complex, down Main Street, then to Clara Barton and into the field and around the track.
Survivors were accompanied by a Dansville Police escort and Marching Mustangs.
The event was emceed by YNN morning news anchor Scott Patterson. The Rochester television station sends out its anchors to host all of the Relays within its broadcast area. This is the sixth event that Patterson hosted.
“Everybody has been touched by [cancer] at one point or another,” Patterson said, adding that it’s great to participate in this event even though Dansville is not his hometown.
“It’s pretty personal for me,” Margaret Mistretta, co-chair said of the event.
She, as well as co-chair Angie Conway, knows first hand how cancer effects families. Mistretta’s mother passed away from pancreatic cancer eight years ago; Conway’s mother passed away from cancer just a few days shy of the Relay last year. Her father is currenlty battling prostate cancer.
“It’s pretty healing, and it impacts people differently,” Mistretta said of the Relay.
As one can guess, it was meaningful to survivors as well.
“It’s definitely a positive,” David Palmer of West Sparta said of the Relay. He was diagnosed with colon cancer on the day he retired as a maintenance supervisor at Noyes Hospital 19 years ago.
Paul Sick, recently retired as a buildings and grounds supervisor for Dansville Central School District, is also a survivor.
“It’s a great thing,” he said of the Relay, adding that he’s proud of his family for putting together a team, and everyone who participates in the Relay as a whole.
Sick overcame nasopharyngeal carcinoma – a cancer that develops in the nasal cavity. He is now on chemotherapy for a spot on his liver.
Sick’s relay team, Sicky’s Squad, supported him by raising more than $5,000 for the Relay, the most of any other team this year. They were given a gold award during the opening ceremony for their efforts. They were the gold team last year as well.
Although many teams left early due to rains, the 13th annual Livingston County Relay for Life at Dansville was still a success and another memorable moment for all who participated.
As is usual for the Relay, it kicked off with a Survivors Lap. But for the first time, cancer survivors entered Ralph Clements Field in grand fashion riding a float in their very own parade which began at the Dansville Central School complex, down Main Street, then to Clara Barton and into the field and around the track.
Survivors were accompanied by a Dansville Police escort and Marching Mustangs.
The event was emceed by YNN morning news anchor Scott Patterson. The Rochester television station sends out its anchors to host all of the Relays within its broadcast area. This is the sixth event that Patterson hosted.
“Everybody has been touched by [cancer] at one point or another,” Patterson said, adding that it’s great to participate in this event even though Dansville is not his hometown.
“It’s pretty personal for me,” Margaret Mistretta, co-chair said of the event.
She, as well as co-chair Angie Conway, knows first hand how cancer effects families. Mistretta’s mother passed away from pancreatic cancer eight years ago; Conway’s mother passed away from cancer just a few days shy of the Relay last year. Her father is currenlty battling prostate cancer.
“It’s pretty healing, and it impacts people differently,” Mistretta said of the Relay.
As one can guess, it was meaningful to survivors as well.
“It’s definitely a positive,” David Palmer of West Sparta said of the Relay. He was diagnosed with colon cancer on the day he retired as a maintenance supervisor at Noyes Hospital 19 years ago.
Paul Sick, recently retired as a buildings and grounds supervisor for Dansville Central School District, is also a survivor.
“It’s a great thing,” he said of the Relay, adding that he’s proud of his family for putting together a team, and everyone who participates in the Relay as a whole.
Sick overcame nasopharyngeal carcinoma – a cancer that develops in the nasal cavity. He is now on chemotherapy for a spot on his liver.
Sick’s relay team, Sicky’s Squad, supported him by raising more than $5,000 for the Relay, the most of any other team this year. They were given a gold award during the opening ceremony for their efforts. They were the gold team last year as well.
About 20 teams and community sponsors were recognized for their contributions to the Relay in excess of $500.
Although final tallies are not yet in, Mistretta said Tuesday night that this year’s relay has raised at least $36,500 for American Cancer Society so far. Proceeds will stay in the Rochester region. Last year, the event raised $42,000.
Although it seems funds may end up smaller this year, the crowd was larger as several new teams joined in. Fourteen teams relayed overall.
This year’s theme was, “If we only had a cure,” and its events followed a Wizard of Oz theme with relays such as a Ruby Red Slippers lap, a Witch’s lap, Skip like Dorothy, a Horse of a Different Color, and others.
The luminaria ceremony was memorable as well, with luminaries lit around the track and spelling out the word “HOPE” on the grandstand. Rains cut the luminaria laps short, however, and due to the cold, wet weather, just a handful of die-hard teams stuck it out to the end.
The Relay for Life began at 5 p.m. Saturday and ended 7 a.m. Sunday.
Donations are still being accepted online at relayforlife.org/dansvilleny.
