LEWISBURG -- Today and Saturday, community members are invited to drive to the Lewisburg Area Middle School's Pawling Sports Complex and "Cruise for a Cure."
During Lewisburg's sixth annual Relay for Life, members of 25 teams are hoping to raise $86,000.
The event will be held from 6 p.m. today to 6 p.m. Saturday on the track. The survivor lap is at 6:30 tonight with the luminary ceremony at 9.
"We certainly would like to reach our monetary goal, but another priority is to increase the number of survivors attending our relay," said third-year chairwoman Marguerite Santorine. "More survivors truly shows the monies raised in the five area relays (Lewisburg, Midd-West, Mifflinburg, Milton and Selinsgrove) have allowed the American Cancer Society to provide programs for our community, research, education and advocacy."
The Santorine family became involved with the Relay for Life when it moved to Lewisburg. "We lost our 3-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, in January 2000 after a year's battle with juvenile chronic myleoi leukemia," Santorine said. "Relay for Life can help provide the funding, through ACS, for research to find a cure."
She relays in hope no other family will have to walk in her family's shoes. "We walk the track at Lewisburg's Relay for Life, and throughout the year, as we fight cancer as a family."
According to Santorine, Lewisburg's relay chooses not to have an honorary chairperson, but rather honor all survivors and caretakers who have valiantly fought the fight and who are in the midst of their fight. "Lewisburg honors the community, as Lewisburg believes there is no off season in the fight against cancer," she said.
Co-chairwoman Jodi Batman started to relay six years ago because she could. "I had the time and wanted to put my energy into something positive," she said.
Now Batman relays because cancer hit closer to home than she ever wanted. "My mother was diagnosed a few months ago," she said. "Suddenly, all those services I have been raising money for are being used by my family."
Corporate sponsorship chairwoman Amy Gronlund invests in finding a cure for cancer because she can see the progress made since her brother died from the disease 10 years ago. "There are more survivors, kinder chemotherapies and more services and information available to patients and caregivers," she said. "My life has been enriched by relay thanks to the many amazing people I have met and worked with along the way."
Society staff partner Casey Fenton believes the Lewisburg community always has been a passionate partner in the fight against cancer. "Their energy and enthusiasm re-energize me," he said. "I know this event is going to be a huge success and something the entire community should come to enjoy."
Major sponsors include Evangelical Community Hospital, Eye Center of Central Pennsylvania, Pepsi Cola Bottling Group, Sunbury Broadcasting Corp., Swineford National Bank, Weis Markets, Wood-Mode Industries, Radiology Associates of Lewisburg, Playworld Systems, Central Penn Gastroenterology, Lewisburg Plastic Surgery and Laser Center, SUN Orthopedic Group Inc., Family Practice Center and Midd-Penn Urologic.
n Deb Brubaker lives in Selinsgrove. E-mail comments to humming@ptd.net.
News
'Cruise for a Cure' in Lewisburg
- News
-
-
10 Things to Know Today
Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today (times EDT):
-
Methamphetamine lab busted in Dalmatia
DALMATIA — A specialized drug team was called in after state police broke up a working methamphetamine lab and arrested two people.
-
2 stabbed, 4 in custody after city melee
SUNBURY — One man was hospitalized with stab wounds, four people were in custody and arrest warrants were issued for two others following a violent confrontation early Monday morning on South 11th Street.
-
Single mom from Danville discovers she just became a millionaire
DANVILLE — A single mother of three and Danville State Hospital employee reportedly learned she’s a $1 million lottery winner while visiting a local store Monday.
-
Students seek smoke reprieve
Eleven-year-old Brendan Calvert stands far from his bus stop so he can get away from the cigarette smoke.
“I usually stand way back,” he said.
-
Year-long drive nets 30 packages
Primary school students kept soldiers in mind throughout the year with a donation drive that has sent more than 30 packages to local service men and women by the end of the school year.
-
Special 'Fish for Free' day gets bites
MIFFLINBURG — Lee Tyson and his son, Walter, spent a leisurely Memorial Day fishing off the pier at Halfway Lake in the Raymond B. Winter State Park in western Union County.
-
Flood-damaged covered bridge to be repaired
MONTANDON — Only 25 cars a day crossed the Rishel Covered Bridge before raging flood waters from Tropical Storm Lee pushed the 181-year-old span six inches off its foundation in September.
-
Storms pound region
A series of thunderstorms prompted flash-flood warnings across the Susquehanna Valley Sunday night.
-
Drizzle doesn't stop Mazeppa parade, service
MAZEPPA — Small-town American spirit was on display in Mazeppa at the community’s annual Memorial Day parade on Sunday.
-
Lions raffling premium tickets
Two lucky people will win Philadelphia Phillies Diamond Club seats for a September game.
-
Dial 211 matches callers, agencies
SELINSGROVE — The Union-Snyder Community Action Agency is preparing to launch Dial 211 in July, but if you call it now, it works.
- More News Headlines
-
