Relay For Life raises $47,000

By Carrie A. Mizell

More than one tear fell on the Trenton High School track over the weekend as cancer survivors walked beneath an arch of purple and white balloons to celebrate their victories over cancer.
The Survivor’s Lap, held each year at the Gilchrist/Levy Relay For Life, is an emotional example of how survivors are dedicating their time and energy to creating a world with more birthdays for people diagnosed with cancer.
Event Chair Verna Wilson said on Monday afternoon that $47,000 had been raised by this year’s Relay For Life.

Cancer survivors Barbara Andre, Marsha Rankin, Charlene Sanders, Fay Jones and Jet Matthews, all of Bell,
carried the Relay For Life survivor banner and led other cancer survivors in the first lap of the relay on Friday evening.

Though individual team totals had not been calculated at press time, Wilson commended each of this year’s 30 teams for their dedication to the American Cancer Society’s main volunteer-driven cancer fundraising event.
Since the annual event moved from Chiefland to Trenton this year, interest in the event has grown and more teams have gotten involved. In 2009, there were just 13 teams participating in the Gilchrist/Levy Relay For Life as over $21,0000 was raised.
“You have to get involved with the Relay For Life because you love to do it…it’s very time consuming,” Wilson said.
“I just want to thank the community and all the team members for their hard work!”
The following teams took part in this year’s 18-hour event: Gilchrist County Courthouse, Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office, Ayers Nursing Home, Faith, Hope and Live, Best Drugs, Ameris Bank, Debbie’s Dance Academy, Kid’s World, Palms Medical Group, Gentiva, Haven, Lafayette State Bank, Gilchrist Food Service, Gilchrist School Board Office, Motivated Methodists, Bell High School, Chiefland Legends, 8th District PDSA Office, Bell Elementary School (two teams), Trenton High School, Capital City Bank, Wal-Mart, Seventh Heaven Spa, Drummond Community Bank, Trenton Elementary School, Chiefland Middle School SWAT, Levy County Sheriff’s Department, Quit Doc and the Gilchrist County Health Department, and Central Florida Electric.