By Staff
Bad weather couldn't dampen the spirits of eager Relay for Life team members in Atmore this weekend.
Through strong organizational efforts, tremendous amounts of creative fundraising, massive publicity campaigns and countless hours of hard work, Relay for Life generated a whopping $126,000, blowing away the lofty goal of $85,000.
This means that the American Cancer Society, just through the efforts and hard work of the people in Atmore and the surrounding area, will continue its battle against one of the most aggressive killers of Americans.
The statistics speak for themselves, but what speaks even louder about the horror that cancer causes are the people – the loved ones – we all lose each year from cancer. And equally important are the loved ones we all have who have proven that cancer can be beaten, giving continued hope that we will, one day, see a cure for cancer.
Science has gone a long way in its battle against cancer, and science isn't cheap. Research, chemicals, laboratories, supplies and the people to undertake the work come at a price.
Atmore has gone a long way toward helping fund those people and the research they do through its intense and heart-warming effort to make the world a better place.
The list of those who deserve thanks, support and praise is long and distinguished. It includes business leaders who allowed their employees to work together as teams to help raise money. It includes the volunteers who donated hours, dollars and sweat to help make the enormous event a success. It includes all the members of the community who paid their money for any number of items and events that helped Relay teams raise money.
But most of all, those who deserve thanks are the organizers of the event. They never slowed down, tired or gave up, even when the task at hand – organizing one of the community's largest events – seemed overwhelming. Without their leadership and dedication, the event could have never come to fruition. Their work is evident in the dollars raised for the event. By leading the effort to beat an $85,000 goal by $40,000, they proved that hard work pays off richly.
So, organizers, thanks for making this event a special one that will serve to help thousands of people suffering from a terrible disease. And thanks again to everyone who contributed and participated.
One day, we believe, your hard work and dedication will help lead us to the cure we are all seeking.