Relay For Life

Do you want to make a difference in the fight against cancer in our community? Plan now to join or support Temple Beth Shalom’s team (TBS and Friends) in the Relay For Life of Needham, Dedham and Wellesley, which will take place May 14 and 15 at the Newman Elementary School in Needham. The Relay is a fun, team-based, 18-hour event that raises money to support the programs and services of the American Cancer Society. It starts on Saturday afternoon and runs until early on Sunday morning Team members can come and go during the Relay or camp out overnight.

The 2011 TBS team will be led by Adam May and Sabra Sherry, who have served on the Relay Planning Committee for the past several years and are eager to share their passion for Relay with the TBS community. Adam is a cancer survivor, and Sabra was a primary caregiver for her mother, who lost her battle against cancer six years ago. Most likely, you’ve been touched by cancer, too, and if you want to help fight back against this horrible disease, please consider participating in this year’s Relay.

During the Relay, we will celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost to the disease and make a commitment to fight back to help put an end to cancer. The event begins with the very moving Survivor’s Lap. It also includes an Opening Ceremony, a Fight Back Ceremony, the emotional Luminaria Ceremony at dusk when thousands of bags bearing the names of cancer survivors and those lost to cancer are illuminated around the track, and finally a Closing Ceremony on Sunday morning. In between there is food, games, entertainment and fun!

For all congregants, there are four ways you can support the Relay:

Join the TBS team:  Register online by going to www.relayforlife.org/needhamMA, clicking on “SIGN UP” then “Join a Team” and searching for “TBS and Friends.” The registration fee is $10, which entitles you to a Relay For Life T-shirt to be worn while you walk around the track at the Relay. Please be sure to pay the registration fee at the time you register. All Relay participants are asked to donate or raise a minimum of $100. Feel free to invite family members or friends (even non-Temple members) to join our team.

Make an online donation: Even if you can’t attend the Relay, please support our team or one of our participants by making a donation at www.relayforlife.org/needhamMA. Just click on ”DONATE” in the top banner, then click “Donate to team” or “Donate to participant” to make your secure, online donation. Contributions in any amount will be greatly appreciated.

Participate in the Survivor’s Lap and Reception: Cancer survivors can register for the Relay free of charge. Survivors kick off the Relay with the Survivor’s Lap, which follows the Opening Ceremony on Saturday. Following the lap, survivors, along with their family, friends and/or caregivers, are invited to a reception.

Buy a luminaria: A luminaria is a small, white paper bag that is decorated in honor of a cancer survivor or in memory of a loved one who lost the battle. Each luminaria costs $10. Luminarias are placed around the walking track and illuminated with glow sticks during the Luminaria Ceremony at 9 pm on the Saturday night of the Relay.

You can purchase a luminaria through the Relay website and have it credited directly to the TBS team or an individual team member. To do this, click on “LUMINARIA” on the website Home page. Then click “searching for their name.” When you get to the personal page, click “Luminaria” and fill out the required information.

Luminarias that are purchased online will be decorated by the Luminaria Committee as instructed by the buyer and displayed at the Relay. Or, if you prefer to decorate your own luminaria, you can purchase them from Sabra. Contact her at relaysabra@yahoo.com.

To learn more about this life-changing event, please visit www.relayforlife.org/needhamMA or contact Sabra at relaysabra@yahoo.com or Adam at relaytbs@verizon.net.