This is my second year to participate in Relay for Life fundraiser for cancer. I have had many friends and relatives affected by it including this young fellow who was diagnosed at 30, two months after getting married and a month after learning his wife was pregnant. He underwent aggressive treatment all through her pregnancy and continued to do so after his daughter was born. He took breaks to have vacations with them, particularly when it became clear the treatment wasn’t as effective as they’d like. He died shortly after his daughter’s first birthday.

It seems we are inundated by requests for charitable donations so it’s been my choice to limit those to one or two charities that are meaningful to me and focus on those. Last year I was a member of a Relay team, raised money, and walked in the event. This year I’ve stepped it up a bit and am working as the online chair updating webpages and things like that. I’m hoping to get a team together myself and raise money and walk again. If you’re local please consider joining the team.   Donations will be greatly appreciated as well from you non-local folks or local folks who can’t make the commitment to be on the team.

Thank you in advance for your generosity. Last year "online" friends and family helped me reach my goal in record speed. I’ve set the bar a little higher this year and hope to do a better job contributing to the Relay. I know that most of my readers are knitters. I’d like to offer up a knitting needle roll or bag of your choice, designed based on your preferences of colors, size etc. When you contribute drop me a line in the comments and the Sunday June 11th after the relay I’ll have someone from my knitting group draw a name from among you. If you’re not a knitter, perhaps you would enjoy some home-baked cookies- feel free to join the drawing and we’ll work something out!