Relay for Life May 17 – 18

The 2008 Mira Mesa/Rancho Penasquitos Relay for Life, a 24-hour event to raise funds and awareness for the fight against all kinds of cancer, will take place this weekend, May 17-18, at Hilltop Park in Rancho Penasquitos. Everyone is invited to come enjoy this celebration of life and love!

If you’d like to make a donation in support of a particular walker or team, or join a team to walk an hour or two some time during the 24-hour period of the Relay, go to http://events.cancer.org/rflmiramesaca for details. It’s also possible to make a donation to help support the event overall, or to donate for a luminaria in honor or in memory of a loved one who has battled cancer. Additional cancer survivors who would be interested in participating in the opening ceremonies and initial “survivor’s lap” are still being sought, too.

You can make a donation or register to join a team on the website, and/or plan to show up at Hilltop Park to register and donate at the Relay. The public is invited to come watch the Relay and enjoy a variety of entertainment in the park any time Saturday, day or night. To get to Hilltop Park, take Black Mountain Road north from Mira Mesa to Rancho Penasquitos, continue past Carmel Mountain Road to turn right on Oviedo, and go to the top of the hill (9711 Oviedo Way.)

There are currently 24 teams organized, with a total of 278 participants (at press time). Among the teams are two groups from Community Bible Church in Mira Mesa. The CBC Love in Action team is participating in the Relay for the second year. It’s led by Bridget Tabor, with a current total of 19 members, including Relay mentor Charlotte Pannell-Taylor and cancer survivor Lori Williams. The CBC Youth Team is led by Charlene Smith. Other teams include Miramar College Phi Theta Kappa, led by Michelle Lapierre; Time Warner Cable, led by Patricia Norwood; ICW Group/AAI Team Hope – Michele Perry’s Team; Mesa View Baptist Church’s The Seed Sowers, led by Christine Coulibaly, and The River People, led by Dona Friel, walking in memory of Joe Friel for the sixth year in Relay for Life.

General registration and a survivor’s reception will take place from 9 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 17. Everyone is invited to attend the Relay’s opening ceremony at 10 a.m. A variety of free entertainment is scheduled during the day for walkers and the public to enjoy, leading up to the 9 p.m. luminaria ceremony.

The performance line-up includes belly dancing by Alexa (Demy Din) at 11 a.m.; Mira Mesa Jazzercise at 11:30 a.m.; Academy of Dance Arts (of Rancho Penasquitos) at 12:15 p.m.; a vocal performance at 1 p.m. by Remembrance Entertainment Group – Temptation Tribute Band; the rock band Unknown Motive at 2:15 p.m.; a dance performance by the Bayview Gospel Dance Troupe at 3:45 p.m.; a musical group performance by “On the Line” at 5 p.m.; a jazz/blues band performance by Johnny Eager at 6 p.m.; “You take the cake” musical chairs for cake walk at 7:15 p.m.; deejay music for dancing at 8 p.m.

Donations for luminarias, which volunteers will place around the course to light the walkers’ route at night, will be accepted throughout the day. (They can also be made in advance via the website.) At prior years’ Relays, I’ve discovered what a moving experience it is to walk along part of the course as twilight deepens into darkness and read the names of those the flickering lights are dedicated to: “In Honor Of ….,” “In Memory Of….”

A luminaria ceremony, featuring the luminaria choir, will take place at 9 p.m. on Saturday. The Relay will conclude with a brief closing ceremony on Sunday, May 18, at 9 a.m.

The 2008 Relay for Life Event Planning Committee includes:

Chair: Michele Perry

Co-Chair: Jackie Felton

Co-Chair Chelle Annette Islas

ACS Contact: Bob Cota

Survivorship: Miguel Islas

Logistics: Russ Oubina & Angela Michael

Accounting: James Norwood

Luminaria: Sofia Ie

Team Recruitment: Tahiya Sultan

Online Chair: Trisha Norwood

Food & Beverage: Lisa Johnson

Entertainment: Chelle Annette Islas

Kids Camp: Linda Ritchie

Team Captains: Courtney Le Vasseur

Event Mentor: Charlotte Pannell-Taylor

If you’d like to take part or help in some way with the event, or for more information, see http://events.cancer.org/rflmiramesaca – or simply come to Hilltop Park in Rancho Penasquitos this Saturday!