2014 “Relay For Life” Luminary Event in Sycamore IL Was A Great Success.
2014 Relay For Life Luminary Event Was A Great Success.
I attended this event for a second time. It is great way to show moral support to those engaged in the cancer battle. It shows love and concern and honors those engage in the struggle and those who have gone on before us. It is also a great way to meet other members of the community. Kishwaukee Bible Church (KBC) opened the doors of their office to help facilitate the event. Jeff could say a word of encouragement on the steps of the Sycamore Courthouse. He talked about us not being alone in the struggle. There are people around us who love and support us. There is also Jesus who is with us. We are not alone. There were cookies and coffee and carol singing and great conversation. For me, it was very meaningful and even a spiritual event. I am thankful for the fruitful work of the Relay For Life people and for KBC for opening up their offices and showing support.
Announcement of event:
Join us at the DeKalb County Courthouse for a time to remember those that have lost their battle to cancer or are fighting the battle during the special Luminaria Vigil during the holiday season.
We will start at the Kishwaukee Bible Church Office and walk to the Courthouse together for a brief ceremony. Following the ceremony we will have refreshments and a time to network with others.
Luminaria will be available starting at 6:30pm until 7:00pm. Ceremony will start around 7:00pm.
Vigil in Sycamore honors cancer fighters
Published: Friday, Dec. 12, 2014 12:10 a.m. CST • Updated: Friday, Dec. 12, 2014 12:36 a.m. CST
By STEPHEN HABERKORN – news@daily-chronicle.com
SYCAMORE – DeKalb County Relay for Life hosted its third annual luminaria vigil Thursday at the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore to remember those who have battled cancer.
“It’s good to be surrounded by others who can pick you up when you’re not feeling like you can pick yourself up anymore,” said Brian Sell of Sycamore.
“It’s a great time to get together, remember, celebrate and encourage one another.” Sell’s 5-year-old daughter, Colleen, was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was 9 months old. The family spent one Christmas with her in the hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, while she got treatment. She is in remission and will be declared cured in six months. But while the Sell family celebrates that victory, they remember others who have not been as fortunate. “There’s a real challenge when you lose someone and they fight the fight and they fought hard,” Sell said. “We got to experience that a lot when we were up there. We saw a lot of kids who didn’t make it.”
During Thursday’s ceremony, participants bought luminaries, wrote names on them of family members and friends who are currently battling or have died of cancer, and placed the candle-lit bags along the sidewalk in front of the courthouse.
The bags will be saved and placed along the track during the larger Relay for Life event in June.
Krista Lane of Sycamore attended Saturday’s vigil with her daughter and lit three luminaries in honor of family members: her Aunt Lucy, who is fighting ovarian cancer, her grandmother, Estelle Neal, and her father-in-law, Dean Lane, who passed away from cancer seven years ago.
Neal said her daughter took the loss of her “Papu” hard because she was really close to him, but their participation in Relay for Life and the luminaria vigil has brought them together.
“This is something my daughter and I just kind of bonded over the last four years,” Neal said. “This is something special that she and I look forward to every year.”
Relay for Life is the signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. The overnight relays take place in thousands of communities across the country and around the world. Chris Atherton of DeKalb, who is on the leadership team for Relay for Life DeKalb County, said their goal this year is to raise $100,000 for the American Cancer Society. Last year they raised $98,000.
“Tonight’s event is just a remembrance night. It brings our community together,” Atherton said.
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