Relays Of Yesteryear

This past fall I made one of the hardest decision I have yet to make - I walked away from Relay.  This is my first summer not scheduling trips around opening ceremonies and not waking up with a Relay hangover that could kill a rhino.  My first summer without purple.

 

First Relay in Alaska!

Relay For Life was not only my passion - it was my job.  I lived, breathed, died purple.  The adrenaline rush that I would get the night before checking weather reports, running donation strips, and counting teams would feed my ego and my desire to succeed.  I loved the high I would get the day of the event - meeting so many new people, working side by side with my volunteers, and running around putting out an little fires that may pop up (figurative fires and real ones - luminaria bags and flames don't always play nice).  And then as darkness would fall, I would relish in the glow of the luminaria bags and be reminded why every year I do this over and over again.  Every year but this year.

Uncle Leo and Marjean 

It is Relay season once again and I find myself missing my Relay family.  From my crazy uncles and aunts to my favorite cousins - all of my Relay coworkers and volunteers made my Relay world a wonderful one for so long.  All of the friends I have made because of Relays - so many of my closest friends were coworkers and volunteers first and became amazing friends that  I cherish everyday.

But as many things in life, there were the downfalls - the stress of trying to make a fundraising goal in a bad economy.  Dealing with mother nature - ps she ALWAYS wins.  Dealing with people who made you feel like you were horrible at this.  Remembering that this was my job and how the weekend went dictated how Monday morning would go. The negatives could really wear a girl down, but then like clockwork I would see a luminaria bag or my favorite volunteer smiling and boom - I was back up!  I would feed off of the energy of the hundreds of people who had come out to support the fight again cancer.  A fight I still support today.

Adam and Amanda after our 8 hour Relay Roadtrip!

So as another season of Relay kicks off, I find myself at an odd crossroads.  On one hand I am happy to have so many of my summer weekends back and am in love with my new job, but on the other I find myself missing my purple people.  All of the memories from the last six years of Relay in Alaska, North Iowa and Eastern Iowa seem to flood over me at once.  From silent auction battles; misspelled t-shirts; rain, tornadoes and 105 head indexes, every Relay told a story and gave me a reason to love my job.

So for those of you will be venturing out to Relay For Life event this summer - thank you.  Thank you for continuing to support a cause that, even though it is going through some growing pains at the moment, is a cause that still matters and is still making a difference.  Cancer still is a very ugly word in my world and one that causes so much pain, but those of you who Relay, you truly are helping to ease that pain.  Continue to walk, continue to rock your purple, and continue to fight.  And while I miss my old Relay Staff Partner life, a life filled with Relay yard signs, purple tablecloths and a belly that was constantly filled with walking tacos, I know that now I get to start a new Relay life as a volunteer and donor.

My first Relay ever!  Mason City - 2007

To those who I met because of Relay - thank you.  Thank you for volunteering and playing such an amazing role in my life, you truly will never know how much I love you.  And to my fellow staff partners - I miss you everyday and think of you often during this time of year - you are truly the glue behind this event.



Finish the fight.    

Relay For Life of Jones County - Luminaria Ceremony 2013