SHOW US YOUR ARI! The 2014 Relay for Life Has Many Surprises in Store!

Reported by Paula Antolini

SHOW US YOUR ARI!

Ari is Swahili for zeal, enthusiasm, eagerness, initiative, spirit, keenness, and inventiveness. To help honor Kenya’s first-ever Relay For Life event this year (that shares one of the same days as Bethel's Relay event) Relay for Life fundraising teams will be decorating their tent site with African themed decor during the "Tent Site Decoration Contest." 

This year Relay Teams will also be showing their "Purple Passion" (purple is the color of Relay) to show the world just how passionate their team really is about Relay For Life!

The 2014 Relay for Life of Bethel, Danbury and Redding will run a straight "20 hours" overnight to celebrate "20 years." The Relay for Life takes place on June 13-14, 2014.  Registration begins at 5:00 p.m. and the Survivor Dinner is at 5:30 p.m.  

The opening ceremony will have a new twist this year in which survivors and caregivers will take part in the ceremony with a special touch. It is an extra special surprise and you are going to have to stop by to find out what it is!

Opening Ceremony is at 7:00 p.m. and the Survivor and Caregiver Lap is at 7:30 p.m.. The Survivor Dinner Coffee and Cake is served at 8:00 p.m.  

This year, survivors and caregivers will remain a part of the event from start to finish. There will be a 60-by-30-foot tent placed on the lawn of the Bethel High School track field where survivors and caregivers will have a complimentary dinner and some surprise entertainment too (at 5:30 p.m.)!  At 12 midnight the Survivor Tent will turn into the "Relay Hotel" where survivors can rest and be refreshed for the next day's festivities.

Activities during the Relay for Life event are beyond creative:

2:00 p.m Relay kicks off with the Crosstown Band
4:00 p.m. Relay Races, T-die, Wet (frozen) Shirt Contests, Corn Hole Toss Tournament and Ladder Ball
5:00 p.m. Kickball Tournament
6:00 p.m. Wiffleball Tournament
7:30 p.m. DJ & Dance Games sponsored by 98Q
9:00 p.m. Luminary Ceremony

The Luminary Ceremony begins at 9:00 p.m. where Luminaria bags are transformed and illuminated after dark. Each Luminaria is personalized with a name, photo, message or drawing in memory or honor of a friend or loved one who has been affected by cancer. Luminaria can also be dedicated in support of a Relay participant. Each Luminaria candle represents a person. They are our mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, friends, coworkers, and so many others.

The Luminaria Ceremony occurs at every Relay For Life event. As the sun sets, Luminaria lining the track light up the night. A hush falls over the crowd that had been overflowing with celebration. Relay For Life participants, survivors, and caregivers then gather to remember loved ones lost to cancer and to honor those whose fight continues.

Luminaria bags can be purchased at the event or by visiting this website: http://www.relayforlife.org/getinvolved/luminaria/app/eventsearch.aspx

Other activities are:

10:00 p.m. "Minute to Win It Contest" - hosted by St. Thomas Church
11:00 p.m. Ms. Relay Contest - Betsie Murphy
11:30 a.m. Friday the 13th Warewolf Howling Contest
12:00 a.m. Glow in the Dark Capture the Flag - Deanna Deuschle
1:00 a.m Scavenger Hunt
2:00 a.m Lap Poker
3:00 a.m Midnight Snack (BBQ Grill from Ingersoll Auto for Teams to Grill their own)
3:30 a.m Rooster Crow Contest, Scrabble Contest, Pictionery, and Board Games
5:30 a.m Dodgeball Tournament
6:00 a.m Sunrise Yoga
6:30 a.m Road to Recovery Race
7:00 a.m Knights of Columbus Pancake Breakfast
7:30 a.m Crazy laps (walking backwards, doing bunny hop, skipping)
8:00 a.m Morning Workout - Body by Rachel
9:00 a.m Pro-Access Thomas Fritch - Fightback Ceremony
9:30 a.m Obstacle Course - Hosted by Training for Warriors
10:00 a.m Caregivers and Coffee (in Survivor Tent)
10:30 a.m Dance Lessons (Zumba, Line Dancing Lessons & Salsa Lessons)
11:30 a.m Sing-Along
12:00 p.m Closing Ceremonies
 
With your help, we aren’t just fighting one type of cancer – we’re fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. Each person who shares the Relay For Life experience can take pride in knowing that they are working to create a world where this disease will no longer threaten our loved ones or rob anyone of another birthday.         

Spread the Hope One Step at a Time.

CELEBRATE.  REMEMBER.  FIGHT BACK.

*****

For more information about Relay for Life:
http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY14NE?pg=entry&fr_id=58779