Relay team members wearing their decorated bras for the decorated bra lap and contest
On April 2 the Quail Creek Relay team listened to Mayor Tom Murphy and Councilwoman Debbie Morales encourage cancer survivors and caregivers at the opening ceremonies of the 2022 Green Valley/Sahuarita American Cancer Society Relay For Life event at Rancho Resort park. Cancer survivors and caregivers were honored throughout the day, starting with a special survivor/caregiver walk while others cheered them on. A free meal was provided by Amy and Greg Hanson, the owners of the Longhorn Grill. The Continental School Student Orchestra entertained the survivors and relay teams with beautiful music. The Sahuarita Dance Studio performed in their colorful dresses, and the Moon Shadow band played dance music.
Teams of individuals walked from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., remembering those who lost their cancer battle and celebrating more cancer survivor birthdays. Team members walked laps representing breast cancer by wearing decorated bras outside of their clothes. Melanoma would be represented by the umbrella lap and prostate cancer by decorated boxer shorts. Prizes were won for trivia games, raffle drawings, the bake walk, name that tune, and more. Someone from each team was walking on the track all day, as cancer does not always stop.
At dark, the closing ceremonies included a cancer survivor story and the path with the luminaria bags aglow with the names of family and friends who have been touched by cancer. The names were read out loud, and the teams walked the lighted path while holding a light in their hands while remembering loved ones.
After the closing ceremonies, the teams gathered up the canned food that was holding down the bags and helped the Sahuarita Food Bank load up the canned goods for those in need.
The Quail Creek team has raised $18,744 of their $20,000 goal. The teams from the Green Valley/Sahuarita Relay have raised $36,163 to fight cancer. Go to www.relayforlife.org/gvsahuaritaaz to donate to the American Cancer Society and/or join the Quail Creek team.