Ten survivors led the way during the ceremonious “Victory Lap” at Relay for Life, June 2, held at Saugeen District Secondary School.
Hub Staff
When students at Saugeen District Secondary School (SDSS) learned that there was potential for the 2016 Relay for Life to go wayside, students took it upon themselves to organize and fundraise for the event that raises money and awareness for cancer research.
Student organizer Makayla Toye, Grade 11, is apart of a youth troop for the Canadian Cancer Society and sprung into action when she heard that there would be no Relay for Life in Saugeen Shores.
“We were talking about Relay [for Life] and it was said that there wasn't going to be a community one this year so we wanted there to be an event. It’s such a huge event... it’s a great fundraiser so we decided to take it on,” Toye said June 2.
“It was just three girls trying to get it going, so we found a teacher, Dr. Laing, who agreed to be our teacher coordinator, then it was all our planning,” said Toye.
The group spoke at an assembly and were surprised but grateful to gain 31 committee members, which was an “overwhelming response”. Toye admitted that working with high school students can be “difficult”, but was happy with how the relay event turned out.
“I’m actually so happy, everyone seems to be having a good time, we had lots of survivors come out, I think we have the most amount of survivors out of all the schools in the area,” Toye said.
Breast Cancer survivor Sylvia Sheard of Southampton spoke at the opening ceremonies of Relay for Life at SDSS before she took part in the ceremonial survivors walk with nine other survivors.
“This evening you’re going on a journey around this track and I'm sure you all will go the distance, just as many cancer patients have done,” Sheard said after a touching speech where she told her cancer story.
She continued, “On behalf of anyone that has been affected by cancer, I can’t tell you how much we appreciate your organizing and participating in this Relay for Life. You’re all a great inspiration and give us all hope that one day there will be a world without cancer.”
The total raised at the June 2 Relay for Life at SDSS, was just shy of the students $18,000 goal.
Approximately 70 participants walked the first lap of Saugeen Shores Relay for Life, which was hosted by SDSS students, June 2.
MaKayla (left), Marilena, Sydney and Maria were just some of the students that organized this year’s Relay for Life, June 2, at SDSS.
From tree-legged races to balloon-toss, above, the SDSS Relay for Life planning committee organized many fun events for people to take part in during walking breaks.
On the left, taking a short break friends Teagan Allen (top left), Jamie Miller (top right), Harmony Allen (bottom left) and Josie Berry (bottom right) enjoyed a few of the activities that surrounded the track; On the right, three generations of Clark family members, Nancy (in survivor yellow), Faith and Ron walked the Relay together, June 2, at SDSS.
