Kalamazoo County 2012 A year in Review

October 2012

2012 RESULTS
$95,576.08 Raised! 120 Survivors attended 61 teams 20 Cancer Action Network members Over 700 participants Cancer does not define me, but how I live and fight with cancer DOES define me."

Program and Services

Road to Recovery gives volunteers the opportunity to help patients receive car rides to their doctors appointments.
In 2012, ACS provided over 1,300 rides in Southwest Michigan. To learn more about Road to Recovery, visit cancer.org

"Don't count the days, make the days count."

"Sometimes you have to go through things and not around them"

For a community to be whole and healthy, it must be based on people's love and concern for each other.

October 2012

Survivor Dinner
In May, we held our 2nd annual Survivor dinner at Kalamazoo Valley Community College (Oshtemo Campus) We provided food to over 75 survivors and their caregivers and families. We had a comedian perform along with a small gift drawing. Thanks to Carrabbas, Julianas, Danes, Pistachios, and Aramark for donating the food and beverages for this occasion.

RISING STAR (raised over $1,000) Portage Central High School Mustangs Fighting for a Future KVCC Cougars KC Giant Strides Wings of Charter Schupan & Sons Papa Cares Kidz Kickin Cancer Team Target Parker Hydraulic Systems Examiners Kalamazoo Area Runners

BRONZE (raised over $2,500) Walmart Squigglies Best Buy Portage Ladies Night Out Walmart Wacky Walkers Calling all Ladies! Our annual Ladies Night First Community Federal Credit Union Out brought us some of the best vendors West Michigan Cancer Center from Thirty-One, Pampered Chef, Dove Team DHS Chocolates and much more to support Team Anderson Relay For Life and provide women (and men) an opportunity to shop, enjoy some Team Russ
food and win door prizes! Thank you to all that came out and supported Ladies Night Out.

SILVER (raised over $3,500) Noteworthy Walgreens of Kalamazoo GOLD (raised over $5,000) Kalamazoo Jaycees Flowserve

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a lifechanging event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.

Platinum (raised over $7,500) Miles for Mary Jade (raised over $10,000) Consumers Credit Union GREAT JOB TO ALL OF OUR TEAMS!!!

October 2012

Become a Relay For Life volunteer!

Together with millions of supporters, the American Cancer Society saves lives by helping people stay well, helping people get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back. We depend on the dedication and talent of our more than 3 million Relay For Life volunteers who work with us to create a world with more birthdays.
For more information about any volunteer opportunities for this event, please contact Jodi Rozycki at 269-3498710 or at jodi.rozycki@cancer.org

Relays Got Talent Competition!

NEEDS:
Team Development Mentors Survivor Chair Advocacy Chair Mission Chair Entertainment committee Youth Engagement Chair Logistics Chair

Zumba Dance

2013 SCHEDULE
2012 Monday, October 22nd Tuesday, December 4th 2013 Tuesday, January 8th Tuesday, February 5th Tuesday, February 12th Tuesday, March 5th Tuesday, March 12th Tuesday, April 9th Tuesday, April 16th Tuesday, May 7th Tuesday May 14th Tuesday May 28th Tuesday June 4th Saturday Sunday, June 8th-9th WRAP UP TBA 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6pm 6-8pm Committee Open House Committee Meeting Committee Meeting Committee Meeting KICK OFF!!! Committee Meeting TEAM CAPTAIN MEETING #1 Committee Meeting TEAM CAPTAIN MEETING #2 Committee Meeting TEAM CAPTAIN MEETING #3 Site Visit at the Fairgrounds BANK NIGHT RELAY Kalamazoo Fairgrounds

10am-10am

Team Captain meetings will be held at the Comstock Community Center and the Committee meetings will be held at Consumers Credit Union on Stadium and 8 th.

Holiday Fundraising Ideas

Christmas Create a Tree of Hope in your workplace, community or church by setting up a lit Christmas tree to which cut out angels or stars can be added in memory or in honor of a loved one for a small donation. Another idea is to have a Tree of Light ceremony in December. Offer bulbs for a minimum donation of $10 each in honor or memory of someone touched by cancer. Then have a Lighting ceremony early in December and keep the tree lit until Christmas is over. A great location would be the front lawn of your local hospital. Several teams have done Christmas Wreath sales. Order your fresh wreaths from the mountains of North Carolina for a cost of around $8 each. Have a ladies group place bows on each one for a total wreath cost of under $10. Then offer the wreaths for a minimum donation of $20 to $25 in your community.
If you are involved at a school, you should check out these two websites for tons of fun lesson plans and ideas:

www.relayrecess.org (elementary) www.relayfieldday.org (middle school)

SEE MORE IDEAS AT: www.relayforlife.org/kalamazoocountymi

American Cancer Society Kalamazoo County Relay For Life 1400 W. Milham Portage, MI 49024

WWW.RELAYFORLIFE.ORG/KALAMAZOOCOUNTYMI