WATSONVILLE — The 12th annual Relay for Life, a signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, took over Emmett M. Geiser Field at Watsonville High School over the weekend.
Relay is staffed and coordinated by volunteers in more than 5,200 communities and 27 countries.
Ana Hernandez, who has helped organize the event for the past two years, said there were about 100 participants this year, a slightly smaller number because Santa Cruz was also holding a Relay as well.
“Everything is going smoothly,” she said. “Though there are less venues, there are also new venues here today. It’s a beautiful day.”
Hernandez said it takes about 80 volunteers to pull the event off.
“I’m out here because I care about these people,” said Dina Rodriguez. “It’s a great way to show support.”
The events are designed to bring communities together to remember loved ones lost, honor survivors of all cancers, and raise money to help the American Cancer Society to make a global impact on cancer.
Besides people walking the track for 24 hours in teams, they also create a long chain of Luminaria bags, paper bags weighted to the ground with sand with messages written on them about people who have passed.
“We remember loved ones lost to cancer and honor those in treatment by dedicating Luminaria bags,” a message on the Relay for Life website reads. “Each Luminaria bag is personalized with a name and/or message and illuminated after dark at every Relay for Life event.”
Adam Ayon Baker, who worked at the hair-cutting tent, said “we just plainly wanted to help those in need.”
“I saw people in need and we want to make people happy,” he said.
Relay for Life of Watsonville has set a goal of $80,000.
In May 1985, Dr. Gordon Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around the track at the University of Puget Sound in Washington, raising money to help the ACS.
Klatt walked and ran more than 83.6 miles and raised $27,000 through pledges. As Klatt spent 24 hours on the track, he envisioned having teams participate in a 24-hour fundraising event for the ACS.
The following year in 1986, 19 teams were part of the first Relay at the Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000.
Each year more than 5,000 Relay for Life events take place in more than 20 countries and on average raise $406 million.
Though the numbers were continuing to tumble in Monday, David Stempel, director of communications and marketing for ACS, said thus far the Watsonville event alone has raised $52,681.
