Ortonville- Everyone is welcome at the area’s largest 24-hour summer party, taking place next weekend.
The 2013 Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville is set for 10 a.m. June 15 to 10 a.m., June 16 at the Varsity Track, 209 Varsity Drive in the village.
‘Everyone needs to come, the public is welcome, it’s family friendly,? said Event Chair Julie Graveldinger. ‘We hear a lot that people didn’t know what Relay is all about. Everyone is welcome to come see what it is all about. Relay is about how people are so willing to help. You don’t have to fight alone, there are a lot of people in your court. The fight isn’t just about your individual family and friends, it’s about everybody and it brings a sense of comraderie.?
This is the sixth annual local event. Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event to fight back against the disease. The Brandon/Ortonville Relay currently has 29 teams registered, which as of presstime had raised nearly half of a goal of $75,000.
This year’s Relay theme is ‘Games,? and there will be plenty of fun and games for everyone who attends, regardless of whether they are registered on a team. Each team has chosen a game and will decorate their booth. Entertainment at the event will include a DJ, live bands, Karaoke, and belly dancing demonstrations.
Each team will have a member on the track during the 24 hours, alternating turns or walking together in the fight against cancer. Themed laps will include tutu, birthday, bubble, trick-or-treat, Hawaiian, 80s, Mardi Gras, 50s, Uno, bad hair and make a new friend among many others.
The Survivor Lap this year has been moved to a new time’starting at 1 p.m., June 15, from it’s former time of opening the event. The new time allows the focus to stay on survivors. Butterflies will be released prior to the beginning of the lap and there will be a special guest speaker who will share her story as a cancer survivor. Butterflies can be purchased for $5 each, with all proceeds going to ACS for research and support services for cancer patients. Woman’s Life Chapter 828 will match up to $500 raised from the sales of butterflies.
The luminaria lap, held in the evening, will get a new touch this year, too. Relay Vice-Chair Mary Woods said participants will have glow sticks during this lap, in which each person can ‘snap? their glow stick in remembrance of a loved one, slowly taking the lap from dark to light.
Woods, who was new to Relay in 2011, is going to be at the event for all 24 hours this year.
‘I am looking forward to watching people and seeing what they are like at 3 or 4 a.m.,? she laughs. ‘These people are hardcore. I am also looking forward to hearing people’s stories.?
Woods? mother survived breast cancer and two bouts of colon cancer before dying in 2009 from Alzheimer’s Disease. Her father was diagnosed two years ago with cancer that was in his bladder, liver and lungs. He died in February 2012. Her aunt also died within four weeks of her father from pancreatic cancer.
‘It’s become my passion to (Relay),? said Woods. ‘Someday, I would like the words, ‘You have cancer,? to be no worse than the words, ‘You have a cold.? I don’t want the word cancer to be any more miserable than a cold and you go on with your life. We are a long way from that, but someday, we’ll get there.?
For more information, to form a team, or to register as a survivor, go to www.relayforlife.org/brandon mi or call Mary Woods at 248-627-5530.

Ginny Gentry is a cancer survivor.
As such, the 81-year-old Brandon Township resident is eligible to walk in a special survivor lap to kick-off the 2012 Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville, planned for 10 a.m. June 16 to 10 a.m. June 17 at Varsity Drive Football Field, 209 Varsity Drive, Ortonville.
The 24-hour walk is the American Cancer Society’s signature event to raise funds and awareness for all types of cancers. This is the fifth year in a row that the event will be held in this community, and Gentry last walked the survivor lap two years ago, but she could have walked the survivor lap every year Ortonville has hosted the Relay, as she has been cancer free for more than six years.
‘It’s very inspiring,? said Gentry of the Relay. ‘And it’s very nice to walk with all the other survivors. I also walked when the luminarias were lit up… I feel very fortunate, very fortunate.?
Gentry underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy and credits prayers and good doctors for her recovery that has allowed her to continue enjoying life and her family, including husband Dale Richmond, her five children, his three children and their 18 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren (with another on the way).
Rosemarie Brooks has been battling non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for 10 years and has been through four different chemotherapy courses, the last of which ‘seems to have done the job.?
‘I feel fine, thank heavens,? said Brooks, 77, a Brandon Township resident. ‘You’re sitting there and they say cancer and it’s an out-of-body experience. You mean me? But I’ve handled everything they’ve done and just keep going. Anything that helps with research and funding is a worthwhile endeavor.?
The public is invited to attend the Relay to enjoy the fun, in which they can walk or just view the festivities. Teams averaging 12-15 members apiece will partake in themed laps. The party-like atmosphere also includes a disc jockey, live musical entertainment, bounce houses, dunk tanks, clowns, volleyball, and much more. On hand this year too will be radio personalities from 105.1 FM. In the evening, a touching luminaria ceremony honors those who have lost their fight to the disease.
The Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville has a goal this year of raising $86,010 in the fight against cancer. Funds raised at Relay events support numerous services offered to cancer patients.
Danell Duff, a Groveland Township resident who is participating in the Relay for Life, is well-versed in the programs offered through the ACS, using various services after being diagnosed with lymphoma in July 2010.
Duff was treated with chemotherapy and even her hair began falling out from the treatment, she went to ‘Look Good, Feel Better,? a program in which volunteer beauticians teach cancer patients how to choose a wig, apply cosmetics to mask the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes, and tie a scarf, among other beauty tricks.
‘It was my first support group,? recalls Duff, who was pronounced cancer-free after completing chemotherapy. ‘It made an impact on me immediately.?
She also benefitted from a service called ‘personal care manager? in which she received a folder to organize doctor’s records, track side effects, and keep treatment options.
Speakers at Relay will speak about these services and more, including the ‘Road to Recovery,? in which patients can receive rides to chemotherapy or radiation treatments.
‘This year we are trying to incorporate a lot of the missions for ACS into lap themes and activities to reinforce the message,? Duff said. ‘A lot of times people ask, ‘Why do you relay? Is it because you lost a loved one or are currently battling cancer?? But the bigger thing is, ‘What does relay do?? It funds these programs. One of the things that drew me to ACS is they don’t turn anyone away. You don’t have to have breast or colon cancer, it can be any kind of cancer. Sometimes there is a cost incurred with these services, but they are open to everyone. This is how your donations are being used.?
Duff encourages the community to attend Relay to learn more and enjoy the family event.
‘It’s a carnival-like atmosphere and it’s just a really great, fun, family activity.?

Ready, set, start walking or running or just get moving at the fourth annual Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville, a 24-hour event to raise funds to fight cancer and celebrate life, survivorship and hope. The relay begins at 10 a.m., June 11 at the Varsity Drive football field in the village, located next to Harvey Swanson Elementary and the H.T. Burt Lifelong Learning Center.
Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event to raise funds and awareness for all types of cancers, from liver to brain. Participants typically sign up to walk as part of a team, averaging 12-15 members, with each team having a member to represent them on the track throughout the 24 hours. Organizers have themed laps for fun that have included hula hoop, safari, pajama, crazy hair, 80s, luminary, circus, south of the border, and Hawaiian. The party-like atmosphere also includes a disc jockey, live musical entertainment, bounce houses, tug of war, balloon animals, face painting, volleyball, and much more. Persons attending the event do not have to walk or be a part of a team to enjoy the fun. This year will also focus more on recognition for survivors and their caregivers, featuring a special survivor and caregiver themed lap for those who have beeen directly involved with cancer.
With the teams and individuals fundraising, the 2011 Relay for Life has already raised a whopping $30, 243.13 and has 35 teams and more than 400 individual participants. The annual fundraiser had a goal of $50,000 for 2010 and ended up with nearly $80,000. The goal for this year is bigger and better, reaching for $85,000. All donations will be going to cancer research at the American Cancer Society.
Overall, the main message that the Relay for Life fundraiser wants to promote is that anyone and everyone is invited to participate in fighting back, celebrating the survivors and remembering the lost loved ones. Show your support by attending and participating in the 24-hour festivities.
Sherman Publications, The Citizen, helped sponsor Relay for Life.

Ortonville- A kick-off meeting late last month for the second annual Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville shows that locals are ‘walking the walk, not just talking the talk,? says Event Chair Colleen Cordner.
‘I almost couldn’t sleep, I was so impressed by the people who showed up,? Cordner said. ‘I’m proud to come from Brandon. I think we will have a great turnout.?
At least six teams signed up at the kick-off, bringing the total number of teams already planning to participate at the 24-hour walk in June to 30 teams.
This year, Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville is planned for 10 a.m. June 13 to 10 a.m. June 14 at the Brandon Schools Athletic Complex on Varsity Drive. Last year, 25 teams of family members, friends, and co-workers camped out overnight and took turns walking a track, raising more than $43,330 to find the cure for cancer.
‘We have lots of sports, church and high school teams this year,? said Cordner. ‘We need those cheerleaders to sign up… It should be a lot of fun this year. I’d like to see them challenge each other to see how much they can raise.?
Teams can continue to sign up in the weeks to come, and are even welcome to sign up the day of the event, said Erin Semmens, American Cancer Society community representative.
Semmens and Cordner are currently seeking area cancer survivors to be represented at a brunch in their honor at the relay. They are also looking for bands, dance groups and other performers to fill entertainment slots at the event, which had more than 500 registered participants last year and more than 1,000 people in attendance. Entertainment already planned includes a dj, bouncehouses, and bands.
‘Everyone is welcome, even if they’re not on a team,? said Semmens. ‘Come check us out.?
Participants and visitors to this year’s relay will have an opportunity to celebrate the victory of area cancer survivors during a survivor’s lap; remember those who have lost their fight to the disease during a touching luminaria ceremony and participate in the new Fight Back ceremony that gives everyone a chance to proclaim their way of taking action against the disease.
Donations can be made to this local Relay For Life event by visiting www.relayforlife.org. Community members can also start or join a team by following the links to the Relay for Life of Brandon/Ortonville event on www.relayforlife.org.
For more information, contact Erin Semmens at 248-663-3448 or Erin.Semmens@cancer.org.