Relay ?kicks off: Annual cancer-fighting fundraiser shares stories of support
Published 3:52 pm Wednesday, February 18, 2015
The Valley looked a slight shade of purple on Tuesday, Feb. 10, when the Relay for Life Snoqualmie Valley held its kick off event at the North Bend Theatre.
Snoqualmie’s Mayor Matt Larson presented a proclamation declaring the day Relay for Life Day for both cities. North Bend’s Mayor Ken Hearing was unable to attend.
Angela Craig, founder of the Give Good Awards, also spoke after Larson jokingly “deputized” her as the honorary mayor of Fall City.
Craig detailed her own experiences with cancer and spoke of the untimely death of her father after a bout with throat cancer. Craig’s father was a businessman and developer. She said she learned a vital lesson from his fight.
“Life is not what you expect it to be sometimes,” she began. “When the walls come down around you and you’re standing in the rubble, what you need to do is remodel. My hat is off to every one of you.”
The event included an appearance from the American Cancer Society partner Shauna Marshall, prizes, a dance performance from Relay participant Maiya Weinmaster and a screening of “The Fault in Our Stars.”
Before his speech, Larson said this is his third year participating in the Relay and admitted he didn’t realize how pertinent the event was to his own life until he stopped to think about how cancer has affected his family.
“I think the reason why it didn’t register is because when I was growing up, my aunt died of it and it was sort of the big ‘C’ word,” Larson explained. “Whereas now, the preponderance is that most people will survive and go on with their lives quite healthily.”
Larson said the event especially hits close to home because his wife, Jennifer, is a director at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, a job she accepted after her father died from lung cancer.
“Fred Hutchinson is a one of the premier research centers in the world,” he began, “and their work wouldn’t be happening without these kinds of efforts. It’s critical that these efforts happen for research to continue.”
This is the Valley’s 14th annual Relay for life and Larson said he’s watched it evolve over the years.
It “was a pretty robust activity and then the leadership moved on and it kind of dwindled,” he explained “Then, a couple years ago, Bev picked it up again and really turned it into a big event and I was invited back to get involved.”
Bev Jorgensen, chairwoman for the Snoqualmie Valley Relay for Life committee, has been a familiar face at Relay for the last 10 years, but has spent only the past two as chairwoman.
“I lost both of my parents to cancer,” Jorgensen said, discussing what sparked her interest in participating, “but what really inspired me is I’m a PartyLite consultant and PartyLite’s charity of focus is the American Cancer Society.”
The Valley’s Relay for Life is one of 24 in King County. It lasts almost 24 hours and is community owned and volunteer driven. Last year, the event raised $87,000 and 41 teams walked. Participants purchased more than 700 luminaria in memory of loved ones affected by cancer.
This year, Jorgensen said they’re aiming to have 45 teams, sell 1,000 luminaria and raise $100,000.
To achieve this, Jorgensen said Relay is “reaching out further into the community and through the Valley” and engaging youth through the Key Club and high school ambassadors.
“In Relay for Life, she said,“of course our goal is to raise funds, but my biggest focus is supporting people.”
The 2015 Snoqualmie Relay for Life takes place at Torguson Park in North Bend, from 2 p.m. July 11 until 8 a.m. July 12.
Relay participant Maiya Weinmaster dances during the Relay kick off ceremony.
Snoqualmie Relay chairwoman Bev Jorgensen and Give Good Awards founder Angela Craig stand by as Snoqualmie Mayor Matt Larson speaks.
