ADOPT ONCE UPON A CURE THEME

By SUZANNE M. SCHMIDT

Members of the community come together every year to fight cancer at the Relay For Life.
The New Tampa Relay for Life will be April 27 from 6 p.m. to noon the following day at Freedom High School, 17410 Commerce Park Blvd.
The event starts with a lap for cancer survivors and the following lap for caregivers. Throughout the rest of the evening into the next morning, participants play games, walk laps and raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Last year, the relay raised $144,000 through 44 teams participating. This year the goal is to raise $150,000 and to have 55 teams participate. Currently, 51 teams are signed up.
“Different schools, businesses or even individuals start a team,” Bartoletta said. “We usually have close to 1,000 people come out and participate.”
Teams camp out all night and participate in relays and games throughout the event. The goal is to always have at least one member from every team on the track consistenly.
“We try to keep one person from each team on the track at all times,” said Darlene Bartoletta, honorary chair and activities chair for the event. “We try to keep everyone busy all night long. It is all about bringing the community together.”
The theme of this year’s New Tampa Relay is storybook characters. Each team will pick a book and decorate their campsite accordingly.
“My daughter’s team chose ‘Where the Wild Things Are,’” said Mary Ann Yaney, team development chair for the relay. “We will give awards to the teams with the most spirit points. Spirit points are given throughout the event for different things, like participation.”
Since the event is all night long into the next day, it is important to keep the energy up so there are games and themed laps going on throughout the event.
“We will have 10 to 12 different themed laps,” Bartoletta said. “One of the themed laps is the tacky tourist lap where everyone dresses like a tacky tourist. Our teams can participate in these for spirit points. At the end, a big three-foot trophy will go to the winner.”
Some of the games played include a wet T-shirt contest, relays and musical chairs.
“We try to make it a fun and exciting event,” Bartoletta said.
Teams have been raising money for the American Cancer Society by phoning and e-mailing friends and family to ask for donations and some teams have had fundraisers.
Bartoletta is a member of the Tampa Palms Parent and Teacher Association team.
“I have already raised $1,300 so far by calling friends and family,” Bartoletta said. “I have also been using the tool on the American Cancer Society Web site. You can send out e-mails using pre-set letters and thank you notes. When someone donates the society sends out a tax receipt.”
She said her team also had a few silent auction fundraisers at Tampa Palms Elementary School.
The fundraising doesn’t end at the relay. Teams sell food and other items in order to raise more money at the event.
“Each team sells food or coffee,” Bartoletta said. “We raise money all night. Another big fundraiser are the luminary bags. People can buy one and write the name of a loved one in memory of or to honor someone who is battling cancer now. It is a beautiful ceremony that brings people together.”
Volunteers sell luminary bags during the event. The ceremony lighting the candles in the bags starts at 9 p.m.
“I would love for people from the community to come out and share in the opening lap or maybe in the luminary event,” Yaney said. “They could buy a luminary bag for a loved one who survived or lost their battle with cancer. It a donation and not a set cost.”
The Relay for Life is one of the biggest fundraisers for the American Cancer Society.
Bartoletta said she loves to raise money for the American Cancer Society because of all the wonderful things they do for people.
In 1980, Bartoletta was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. She had to go through a series of surgeries for them to cut and take out the affected areas and then go through 11 months of radiation therapy.
“They used to give 6 to 12 months of radiation therapy and now they don’t do that anymore,” Bartoletta said.
As a result of the overexposure to the radiation, Bartoletta was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2002. Through research, doctors now know to only give radiation therapy for six months or less. She said she is hoping through research the threat of cancer will diminish.
“Our parents 15 to 20 years ago were battling things like polio that there was no cure for and now we have vaccinations,” Bartoletta said. “I am hoping that in the next 15 to 20 years they will come up with a vaccination for cancer.”
If interested in making a donation, e-mail Yaney at . For information, visit http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=191966.