Even though Relay For Life was moved inside Chesterton High School Field House, rather than taking place in the much larger outdoor stadium because of the unstable weather conditions, the event was highly successful and even had a few advantages over the outdoor venue.

While the indoor field house was hot, it was hot outside too! The advantage of inside was that one could go into the air-conditioned hallway to cool off, and the big advantage was no mosquitoes!

“I believe people did more socializing inside,” said Jane Deligatti, media chairperson for the event. According to Deligatti, the final figures are not yet in, but it is estimated $90,000 was raised here in Duneland, which goes to the American Cancer Society.

“In these tough economic times, the individuals really stepped up,” she said.

This year the theme was “Relayhood”. Many of the teams used Hollywood motifs for their tents. Probably the most spectacular was that of Duneland Resale, with two tents decorated in the stylized glitz of the “Oscars”. One tent featured a life-size Oscar trophy with a lumineria pathway leading up to it. Life-sized figures of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley were featured on the outside of the tent.

The clap-boards traditionally used to indicate the “take” number of a film, were used for advise to avoid cancer: Use Sunscreen, Don’t Smoke, Eat Healthy, Lose Weight, Exercise Daily and Limit Alcohol. They even had a walkway of gold stars with stars names in them.

People were lined up by the second tent where they paid $5 each to get hair extensions in colors to represent survivors of various kinds of cancer.

“We worked on this for six months,” said Joy Johnston, who was decked out in a gold glitzy jacket and flashing jewelry.

Near the other entrance into the field house, Karen Messler took individual photographs of each luminaria of cancer survivors and those who died from cancer who attend or attended Chesterton’s First United Methodist Church. Messler said there were more than 80. She will be giving a power-point presentation at the church, and plans to give a photo to each member whose name or family member name was on a luminaria. Karen’s mother, Mary, died of cancer in 1997.

Because it was indoors, the luminarias were not lit with candles. Instead, they were illuminated with miniature lights (Christmas tree lights) that circled the track.

At one point in the evening, names of survivors and deceased are read as people walk the track as they look at the names of people being honored.

It is always an amazing site to see the number of survivors who begin the event that continues through morning hours. Wearing their purple colored survivor shirts they were eager Friday night to walk the track to applause and cheers from all who watched. Some of the survivors stay through the night and walk with those who walk for family or friends who have been touched by cancer.

Area fire department firefighters and their families each set up tents and walked for the cause. The Chesterton Fire Department dedicated its walk to Chief Warren “Skip” Highwood.

Many local organizations formed teams as well as individual family teams and all brought enthusiasm to the cause. Parents walked with their children and children participated in the many activities provided for them.

Some survivors attended the Breakfast of Hope provided by the Knights of Columbus on Saturday. It was followed by the closing ceremony, where the numbers of people were far less than Friday evening, but no less enthusiastic.

Those who have not participated in Relay For Life, are encouraged to do so next year. The overwhelming love and hope it generates is well worth taking part.

Posted 6/22/2009