In May of 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt walked and ran around a track for 24 hours in Tacoma, Washington, raising $27,000 to help the fight against cancer. About 32 years later, and Dr. Klatt’s mission of raising money for cancer has expanded immensely.
This past weekend was the Lutz/Land O Lakes region Relay for Life for most high school students in Lutz and Land O Lakes. The 12-hour night consisted of themed laps around the track, music, the fun Mr. and Mrs. Relay pageant, and the famous Luminaria Ceremony.
The Luminaria ceremony is a moment in the night when everyone becomes silent and the only light in the stadium is that of the Luminaria bags, which paid tributes to those people who have fought or are fighting against cancer. Whilst in the dark and in silence, everyone remembers those close to them or not, who have fought there fight or are fighting their fight against cancer and the ceremony is very touching.
Community Manager, Erin Stokes, helps oversee four different Relays in West Pasco and helps guide and aid the volunteers in planning their Relays. She has been doing Relay ultimately five and a half years. Her friend had invited her and ever since, she continues to go back until she found out there was a position opening and she applied and got the job.
“Basically a friend invited me, it’s really how it starts with most people. The Luminaria ceremony really made me like, ‘Woah, this is pretty awesome and a great experience.’ That’s what made me want to come the following year and the year after that. Then that friend became a cancer survivor making it more important to be there,” said Stokes.
Team Captain Melody Ocasio had one of the best teams this year for the Relay in her region, consisting of mostly of her fellow classmates and friends in the Class of 2017 at Steinbrenner High School. Her team, Beating the Odds, had various ways of fundraising by hosting a car wash, bake sale, garage sale, and other fundraisers, ultimately leading to her team raising $5,823.40. Ocasio has been doing Relay for Life now for three years but only two of those three years has she been a captain.
“When my aunt was diagnosed with cancer, I wanted to make a difference and when I to high school, I really wanted to start doing that so I thought making a Relay team would be a great start,” said Ocasio. “Definitely all the service hours events we have to do to build up for Relay, and all the interactions I have to have in order to raise money for the team and of course Relay itself.”
Relay for Life was a great experience to be apart of and brings friends together to stand against such a huge thing that can tear families and lives apart but it feels good that at least you are helping a little bit and having fun with good friends at the same time all striving towards the same goal.
Fernando Mallicote// Staff Writer
