From Lynda J Snider

Browntown

To the Editor:

I attended the Green County Relay for Life Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser on Monday, September 19th and came away with so many heartfelt thanks to all those in our community who work so hard to provide support and services for anyone in Green County who is dealing with cancer. It may surprise many to know that help is available for rides to doctor appointments, in home visits, contacts for coping tools such as wigs, ambulatory equipment, etc., but also spiritual support for survivors, just to name a few. While the American Cancer Society does research, money raised by the Green County Relay for Life stays local.

I attended in honor of a dear friend who lost her fight on Memorial Day, and for whom I was still feeling great sorrow. The ceremony held following the dinner was so moving, by calling up those recently diagnosed as well as those who have been fighting for multiple years, then the survivors and all caregivers somehow lifted some of my sorrow and I found myself cheering for the brave men and women who refuse to give up the fight. I felt my sorrow lift just a bit and being replaced with a sense of awe at the courage of those who are currently fighting cancer.

The magnitude of what cancer has done to so many in our communities was on display with the hundreds of luminarias that had been decorated and personalized by a member of the committee, with the names of those who have been lost. They surrounded the room and were lighted to remind us all of those we’ve lost, those still fighting, and the brave survivors.

My hope is that more people in Green County will support all the events sponsored by our local Relay for Life group so that more of our family and friends can benefit from the work they do, and the services they provide. And I want to express a deep and heartfelt thank you to the committee members who planned and executed this dinner as a new way to bring people together to honor and celebrate the survivors and those lost, as well as raise funds to continue to provide support. And of course the delicious meal and program couldn’t have been such a success without Rena Konig and the Maple Lane Event Center staff, and Hugo for being a great DJ.

Next up — Shop for a Cure at Monroe Middle School right after Thanksgiving!