An Amazing Evening!

It was a very humbling experience last Friday evening in Alexandria as we celebrated the memories of loved ones who have lost their battles with cancer and honored those who have lived or are living with cancer.  We personally celebrated the lives of my Dad, uncle and two aunts whose lives were taken too early by this horrible disease.  If you've never been to a Relay for Life event, you definitely must go!  The walkers (or in our case runners because we had to keep up with Parker) just kept on going round and round on the track to raise more funds for cancer research.  Surrounding the track were bags of white and brown.  White bags signifying a cancer death and brown bags for survivors.  There were many, many white bags that made our hearts ache and our knees tremble, but there were also many brown bags which bring hope!

Our most missed Dad, Grandpa and Great-Grandpa!

My Godmother and Aunt LaVonne - miss you!

My Dad's younger sister, Mary Ellen - miss you!

My Dad's brother Cally who loved to visit our farm - we miss you too!

A sea of purple - cancer survivors - you guys ROCK!

Balloon release by the cancer survivors - no dry eyes here.

We participated in the event with A.S.K.-Acts of Sincere Kindness (check the out HERE), a new local volunteer organization that participates in all kinds of community events.  We were privileged to not only have our team A.S.K. in the relay,  but we also sponsored a booth.  Many of the sponsors and teams had areas set up to play games, give massages, provide refreshments or just to be supportive.  We had a great time with our musical hula hoop game and the lighted lei's were a big hit!

A.S.K. team walking our first lap around the track.

Our crazy Hawaiian booth where we played games and raised monies by selling pillowcases and lighted lei's.

Our musical hula hoop game - Parker and Katie are practicing.

Walgreen's team played pick a duck for a buck - they had great prizes!!

In the darkness of the evening, the luminaries were lit and the whole track was bathed in a glow of white and brown bags.  A large ribbon and the word HOPE was illuminated in the bleachers providing an inspirational backdrop.

The moment the bags were lit it became just a little more quiet around the track.

"Hope" lit up on the bleachers

Oh just for the record, our team raised a little over $2400.  Our goal was $2000 - what to go team A.S.K!
Thanks to everyone who made this event possible from the organizers to the participants to those who raised monies and those who gave monies.  Let's have the goal be: No white bags only brown!

-Love from our A.S.K. team-