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Boardman Relay for Life celebrates hope
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The main stage at the Relay had activities planned for every hour of the 24 hour event. At 1 p.m. on May 14, younger guests to the Relay participated in a fierce competition of musical chairs.
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Some of the members of the Relay for Life team from Target stopped by their organization's sign. The ladies are Sue Bagnoli (left), Faith Barrett, and Becky Moore.
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Team Burke, from the Burke School of Irish School of Dance, came to watch the musical chairs competition early Saturday morning. The team is, from back, Connie Thompson, Brianna Thompson, Ashley Thompson, Braiden Forsyth, Lexi Jacobs, Mary Kate Kelty, and Sarah Miller.
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Monica Seliga (left) and Chery Hively “walked 10 miles for a cure” because it has been 10 years since they lost their father from cancer.
By SARAH FOOR
On the night of May 13 and the morning of May 14, the football field of Boardman Center Middle School was a squishy, muddy mess, but that didn’t dampen the spirits of anyone at Boardman’s 17th annual Relay for Life.
In fact, the smiles on the faces of Relay team members circling the middle school track proved that positivity is a great gift to have in the fight against cancer.
Every guest at the event had a personal story to share about a family member or friend who fought cancer, and planner and corporate sponsorship coordinator Tristan Ula was no exception.
“Cancer happened in family –when my sister was 13, she was diagnosed. She is 21 and healthy now, but I knew after my family’s experience that I wanted to be part of the Relay for Life. It’s a great cause that raises money for a great organization,” Ula shared.
By the afternoon, guests at the event had been at Center Middle School for nearly 20 hours and many had mud splashed up to their calves, but the event still had a positive energy.
Susan Leetch and Debbie Jeffries took a leisurely walk around the track with their friend, Robin Stock.
“I fought breast cancer and I’m fighting it again. It’s not always easy, but I’ll never stop fighting,” Stock shared.
For other walkers that morning, it was a time to reflect on those they’ve lost, but also how they can help others.
“We walked 10 miles during the Relay to remember my dad, who we lost 10 years ago now,” Monica Seliga explained, of herself and her sister, Chery Hively.
“We miss him, but it’s important to help fund the research that makes sure this doesn’t happen to other families,” Seliga said.