Friends 4 Life
Our Relay for Life leader hasn’t registered our team yet because she couldn’t think of a good team name. Last night over coffee and brownies we landed on “Friends 4 Life.” When I asked her what her motivation for rallying a team was, she said, “Because half my friends have cancer!” I’m doing it because I’ve had several family members with it but “Family and Friends” and “Family Friends” are already being used around these parts for other things and "Newberg Friends Walkers" just didn't do it for us (although it does present a funny mental picture if you stop and think about it).
Our team has about 20 people signed up so far, men and women of all ages, and I’m really looking forward to sharing the experience not only with them but also with my niece, Christie, and her family who will turn out for the Ushio team. I’ve wanted to do it for several years now but it never quite worked out. This year, I had opportunity to join four or five other teams but jumped on the chance to walk with F/friends from church. We’ve lost a lot from our number to cancer. Some were not only pillars in our community but also pillars in our hearts. They made lasting impressions and left holes we’ll never really fill.
I’ll walk in memory of my grandmothers, Winifred Landauer and Leona King Nelson, who both died of cancer when I was much too young, and my uncle Harmon who shares a birthday with my AW and is a survivor. I’ll walk in honor of my dad who has been treated and is still watching suspicious for places on his skin. I’ll walk in memory of Merill Holdahl, Marge Weesner, and Vida Curtis who died all in a row one winter and sent me crashing to the earth. I’ll walk for Janette Stoltzfus and Yvonne Everly with hope in my heart and a prayer on my lips. I’ll walk for research because my odds and the odds of one of my closest friends are not very good when it comes to genetics. I’ll walk because I freak out every time I feel a weird twinge somewhere, and because deep down I don’t really believe my doctor when she says the creepy spots on my skin aren't anything to worry about. What does she know? Her ancestors probably all died of old age!
If you can’t walk but know what I’m talking about, pledge to someone on a team. Anyone will do, it doesn’t have to be me. Although, you can pledge to me and just as soon as I figure that part out, I’ll tell you how. If you want to come out for the event to cheer us on, please do! If you want to join “Friends 4 Life” I'm sure you'd be welcome.
Our team has about 20 people signed up so far, men and women of all ages, and I’m really looking forward to sharing the experience not only with them but also with my niece, Christie, and her family who will turn out for the Ushio team. I’ve wanted to do it for several years now but it never quite worked out. This year, I had opportunity to join four or five other teams but jumped on the chance to walk with F/friends from church. We’ve lost a lot from our number to cancer. Some were not only pillars in our community but also pillars in our hearts. They made lasting impressions and left holes we’ll never really fill.
I’ll walk in memory of my grandmothers, Winifred Landauer and Leona King Nelson, who both died of cancer when I was much too young, and my uncle Harmon who shares a birthday with my AW and is a survivor. I’ll walk in honor of my dad who has been treated and is still watching suspicious for places on his skin. I’ll walk in memory of Merill Holdahl, Marge Weesner, and Vida Curtis who died all in a row one winter and sent me crashing to the earth. I’ll walk for Janette Stoltzfus and Yvonne Everly with hope in my heart and a prayer on my lips. I’ll walk for research because my odds and the odds of one of my closest friends are not very good when it comes to genetics. I’ll walk because I freak out every time I feel a weird twinge somewhere, and because deep down I don’t really believe my doctor when she says the creepy spots on my skin aren't anything to worry about. What does she know? Her ancestors probably all died of old age!
If you can’t walk but know what I’m talking about, pledge to someone on a team. Anyone will do, it doesn’t have to be me. Although, you can pledge to me and just as soon as I figure that part out, I’ll tell you how. If you want to come out for the event to cheer us on, please do! If you want to join “Friends 4 Life” I'm sure you'd be welcome.
posted by kathy at
9:28 PM
3 Comments:
Great name!! I am honored to walk with this team. I join you in the feeling that we're almost all sitting around looking at ourselves like we're ticking time bombs these days. It's scary-but also motivating, not just to cure cancer, but to LIVE LIFE. So I love the name Friends 4 Life. Beautiful.
By
Anonymous, at 11:13 PM, March 02, 2008
Very good name!! I like it. Suits the purpose of the relay as well as your friendships. I walk for everyone in my life that has been touched by cancer whether they're still with us or they've passed on. Thanks to you, my list for our memorial board gained a few names too. I'd forgotten Aunt Vida and Grandma Nelson had died of cancer and forgotten that Uncle Harmon is a survivor! Thanks for the memory jog.
By
TigerGirlC, at 10:15 PM, March 03, 2008
Thanks ladies. It's going to be great being out there with you both.
By
kathy, at 6:30 AM, March 04, 2008
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