Thank you to all of the individuals who joined us Feb. 21 for the Ninth Annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life of the Sun Cities drive-through in the Sun City West Foundation parking lot.
COVID strikes again, and the event that is usually conducted in Beardsley Park had to be canceled. Our best option was arranging a drive-through event. The weather was perfect this year. It was a day to raise money to fight cancer and honor those who have lost won, or are fighting this disease.
The Automotive/Restoration Club provided a display of their cool cars. Peoria Nissan, Home Instead of Surprise, Sardella’s Pizza & Wings, Sun City West Foundation, Sun Canyon Bank, Camino Del Sol Funeral Chapel and the Recreation Centers of Sun City West sponsored the event. We partnered with Valley View Community Food Bank to collect much needed food for Arizona residents.
We weren’t able to have the victory lap of survivors in their purple shirts, or walk the track to music provided by KSCW, or participate in many raffles as in past years, or light hundreds of luminaria at dusk, but we were able to raise money for cancer research and to help those going through the dreaded disease right now. That is what Relay is about. We were still able to raise more than $48,000 total, which included all of online fundraising.
We will repeat this event next year, hopefully back in Beardsley Park, so plan to attend, join the committee, donate or become one of our sponsors. I’m calling on Sun City, Sun City West and Sun City Grand clubs to form their own teams next year. Help us to continue to grow. Most of us are touched by cancer somewhere in our lives — family, friends, neighbors or ourselves. One person does make a difference. Check our website for information.
A special thank you goes out to our committee that accomplished so much, especially Marilynn Shaw, who was our chairwoman. Donations can still be made at relayforlife.org/suncitiesaz.
Linda Victor
Relay for life
publicity committee chairwoman Sun City West
