Letter to the editor
Moved to walk
To the Editor:
I was given the opportunity to participate in the Marion County Relay for Life that occurred Friday night, but declined. It wasn't until a good friend asked me to take a few pictures of the Peabody BugsOut For Cancer Team that I went at all. Once there, I regretted my decision because what I saw was both inspiring and downright amazing.
First of all, the evening was glorious, as opposed to the day before when it was 110 degrees in the shade. The cool breeze wafting across the running track was chilly even, if you chose to sit the affair out.
I was struck by the age of the walkers in purple, which ranged from elderly to young children — and those were the cancer survivors. I don't suppose there's anyone who can say that cancer has not touched their family or an acquaintance in some way. But watching the sea of purple shirts gave a face to the disease that I frankly hadn't expected. Add in the number of people who walked in memory of someone who didn't survive, as well as the luminaries that lined both sides of the track in memory, and I can't imagine anyone who would not be moved. It was one of those moments when you wanted to say, "I helped," rather than "I was there."
Kudos to the PBOFC team for doing their part in raising $1,450 of the approximately $40,000 raised at the event. Marion Rosine, team captain, even provided fun headgear for her team made up of Lisa Slater, Sheila Buller, Martha Kortje, Jennifer Severt, Brenda Summers, Laurie Cox, and Bev Wilson.
There was entertainment, door prizes, food, fellowship, and lots of good, old-fashioned exercise. As it stands now, I believe next year I'll say, "I helped," rather than, "I was there."
Dinah Richmond
Peabody
