Finish the Fight!

All I can say about last night was WOW!!  My A.S.K. (standing for Acts of Sincere Kindness) teammates and my family were a part of a very emotional and uplifting experience at our local American Cancer Society Relay for Life event in Alexandria, MN.  We are a small team but we make a difference!  We all joined this team for various reasons, my family joined because we lost our Dad, Grandpa, Great-Grandpa to this horrible disease and the suffering must stop and a cure will be found!

Our granddaughter Parker looking up to Great-Grandpa!!

People who have had or have cancer wear purple shirts to represent that they are survivors.  There were MANY people wearing purple.  Even though we don't want anyone to be wearing purple, the part that is uplifting and joyful is that they are wearing the shirts!!  They have survived, they are here with us!  I'm not sure if there were more people in the crowd from last year wearing purple, but I'm gonna go with the fact that they are more people who are surviving!!! So take that cancer, we will win!!

Hundreds of people ready to FINISH THE FIGHT!

The event was well planned and in a new location which worked quite nicely!  The evening started on a grateful tone as the American flag is saluted and praised. (Our daughter, Katie sang the "Star Spangled Banner" - yes, a proud moment!)

 Each year several cancer survivors are chosen as honorees to share their stories.  This year a caregiver was also chosen as no one has to fight alone!  The survivors in their sea of purple, the caregivers, the teams are all recognized and walk around the track!  Many people walk all night long to signify that cancer can take days, weeks, months, years or lives.... so we can walk a mere 12 hours to raise money to beat this disease!!

2014 Honorees leading the survivors, caregivers and teams walk.

TEAM A.S.K.!! Go team!!

 Many of the teams had booths set up to play games and sell fun things to raise money.  The kids had a blast playing the games, especially at our booth where for a $1 you had the chance to hit "crabby" Jeremy (he really isn't crabby- he's actually one of the nicest people you'd ever meet!) or any other team member for that matter with water balloons.  It was hit! (literally!) The evening was very warm so the water was quite refreshing.  Okay, confession time, I don't know that first hand as I wasn't a target, but I could see from the others who were, that they were actually enjoying it!

Team A.S.K. put together a "Survivor Team" challenge with other teams - GOOD TIME!

Parker getting Jeremy all wet! Sorry you can't see his crab hat (hence - calling him crabby)  but it was pretty cute!

Parker playing games wearing her Grandpa Zona t-shirt (my folks moved to Arizona many years ago, so the grandkids always called them Grandpa and Grandma Zona!

As of this post,  our team is #13 out of 39 teams and we're only $109 away from our goal of $2000.  If'd you be so kind to help us reach our goal you can still do that by CLICKING HERE and donating to the A.S.K. team!  THANKS!!  A special shout out to the top teams, Alex Extrusion over $19,000 raised (our son-in-law Aaron works here!), the Douglas County Hospital over $9,000 raised (our daughter Danielle works here!) and Tastefully Simple over $8,000  raised (of which I'm a consultant) AND a very special shout out to Team A.S.K. - Katie our fearless leader, Michelle, Jordan, Sara, daughter Holly (I told you this was a family affair!), Jeremy, Joe, Erika, Renae, Ahndree, Eli  and Jodi! You guys ROCK!!! AND we will...

FINISH THE FIGHT!!

-Hugs- Julie