Yates Relay for Life raises $27K

    PENN YAN—Rain in the middle of the day did not dampen preparations for  Yates County Relay for Life on Saturday, June 4.
    By the time the annual event began, skies were clear and participants began several hours of fun. The goal of the national event is to raise funds to support the programs of the American Cancer Society.
    Survivors of the disease, wearing purple t-shirts and sashes identifying them as survivors, filled the pavilion at the Penn Yan Firemen’s Field at the start of the evening. One of the survivors is Dundee Central School French teacher Maura Benicasa-Wolverton. Speaking to the crowd, Benicasa-Wolverton said, “I’m a walking billboard every day that I’m living. You people may not realize how much help American Cancer Society gives.”
    Each year the event has a theme and this year’s theme was “Games.”  Most of the campsites around the sprawling field offered games such as “Win it in a Minute.” This year’s theme was the brainchild of Dundee Central School student Marissa  Foy.
    Foy said she joined the event committee this year. In addition to games, tournaments filled several hours during the evening. “Can Jam Volleyball” and Frisbee basketball were included in the competitions. Relay for Life was not the only event for the DCS group. They had “Flamingo Flocking” in Dundee recently as well as Teens for a Cure bracelets.
    Asked why a group from DCS got involved in the Relay again this year, Foy said, “A lot of us have family members with cancer.”
   The event runs from sundown to sunrise the following day. The time was chosen to reflect the darkness of a cancer diagnosis and the brightness of days after surviving the disease.
   This year’s event raised the highest amount of pledges since the relay began: $27,000. American Cancer Society representative Nicole Morrison said the goal was $30,000, but the committee was very pleased with the results. Donations may be sent to American Cancer Society, Relay Yates, 1120 South Goodman St., Rochester, N.Y. 14620.