Walking (and shaving) For A Cure

All day Saturday and into the wee and lit hours of Sunday morning, I participated in the Defiance County Relay for Life and the Actors for a Cure team led by co-captains Mare and one of my favorite directors, Beth.  It all began when I arrived at the fairgrounds shortly after 9AM to help Travis in his logistical duties (read, moving benches, picnic tables, and chasing a red head pulling two garbage cans behind him while we followed with a pickup… GOOD TIMES!).

The 23 hour fest found our team and other groups walking a 1/3 mile track in order to raise money for a cure.  Don’t ask me how many laps I completed but during one session, I completed 12 laps walking with Beth who only completed 11.5.  Please leave comments if you want to hear the reason for Beth’s  .5 mile loss.

Later in the afternoon, Megan and Carol came over and we sat and enjoyed some of the dancers and singers who were part of the entertainment.  Maybe next year… The girls had to leave but would return following the city band concert and fireworks at the B-town Day in the Park for a special event.

At our teams’ table, Mare had a jar in which she collected donations (including the dollars collected from putt putt and popcorn sales).  If she raised $500 before midnight, she would sit in the barber chair and get a nice shave.  After some rather strategic donation collecting by Jen and Jerry, we topped that total and more!

At dusk, the moving luminaria ceremony got underway.  In years past, people could purchase candles that were placed around the Relay track.  For the ceremony, these candles were placed inside paper bags with the name of cancer survivors, those currently battling the disease, or to remember those who have gone.  This year, it was decided to place a canned good in the paper bag and break a glow stick inside to provide the illumination. Apparently, there were some bags set aflame in years past.  Also, a huge screen displayed the names of those honored as they were each announced.  I purchased a luminary for Ma2 and Aunt Carol.  Being my first ceremony, I was deeply moved when I saw first Emily’s and then Carol’s name.

After the ceremony, it was time for the shave.  We had a false start as the clippers brought did not work.  A beautician in the audience volunteered to go and get her set.  Good thing, because Megan and Carol had not arrived.  When the moment arrived,  Mary was placed front and center of the entertainment stage.  The entire Actors for a Cure team took a turn playing barber.

Then, Megan and I took a few laps around not only the Relay track but the entire perimeter of the fairgrounds.  I thought we had done at least 5 cycles, but my companion informed me that it was only four.  I surely walked a good 10 miles in the 23 hours.

By the time 7:30 arrived, we were all ready to load the putt putt course, tent booth, and other equipment and go home!  It has been a long time since I have gone 24 hours with no sleep, but all fun and for a good cause.

The good captain preparing for a shave.

After the cutting!

Jamy Shaffer