Don't stop now!
By Ron Mack

A Senior Moment

Months ago the Cherokee County American Cancer Society 2007 Relay for Life campaign was set in motion and since then there have been auctions, bake sales, womanless beauty pageants, sporting events, dinners, car-washes, and many other functions too numerous to mention to raise funds in the continuing struggle against cancer.

On Friday, May 18, the campaign reaches its climax at Konehete Park with the actual Relay for Life. It all begins at 6:00 p.m. with the Survivors' Dinner. Then at 7:00 p.m. the walk will begin as cancer survivors lead off the first lap, followed by the participants and volunteers. If that doesn't bring tears to your eyes, then stick around for the lighting of the luminariums after dark. Each lighted luminarium is in remembrance of a loved one who succumbed to the disease or in honor of a survivor. Lined with these candles, the walking path glows with an almost spiritual light. It will bring a chill to your spine and a tear to your eye.

Throughout the evening, the night, and into Saturday morning, relays of participants will walk the Konehete path. As the silhouettes of walkers pass by the luminariums, you can almost imagine the ghosts of those memorialized saying, "Thanks, but don't stop now, don't stop now." At 12:00 noon the activities will come to an end, and everyone who participated will go home with an extra inward glow that comes from doing something of value for their fellow man.

Just to put the importance of this Relay for Life and others held across the United States in context, think of 41,000 new cancer cases diagnosed in North Carolina in 2006 and 1,400,000 in the United States. Couple with that 565,000 deaths caused by this dreaded disease and it's a no-brainer to realize how important these fund-raising events are. Go to the American Cancer Society website at www.cancer.org for all the information you would ever want to know about cancer and its effects on our lives and our society.

Even if you haven't started to raise money yet, there is still time. Rod Springer and Barbara Hughes will take your donations as long as you will give them. Friends, I'll be looking for you on May 18 at Konehete Park. As the saying goes, "Be there or be square."

....................................................Viso Gero!