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Happenings in the Keweenaw Peninsula June 20, 2006 Text © 2006 Wade Wainio for Keweenaw Now. Photos © 2006 Michele Anderson.  File photos  © 2002 Laurie Curran. Reprinted with permission.

Community prepares for 2006 Relay for Life June 23-24

By Wade Wainio

HOUGHTON -- The Copper Country's eleventh annual Relay For Life, a 24-hour fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, will take place from 1 p.m. on Friday, June 23, to 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 24, at the Houghton High School track on Gundlach Road. 

According to Kathy Archambeau, event manager, the annual Relay For Life is "the signature event for the American Cancer Society" in its fundraising for research, education and advocacy programs.

"The whole community is involved in Relay For Life for the cause of fighting cancer," Archambeau said. "We start with our committee, of course; and then we have team captains, co-captains and walkers.”

In preparation for the 2006 Relay for Life, Houghton residents, from right, Diane Shoos, her daughter Anna and Vicky Bergvall decorate luminaria to honor family members (cancer victims and survivors). All three are members of the Red Sky at Night team, sponsored by the Keweenaw Unitarian Universalist Fellowship and Thermodynamics. The Luminaria will be lit for a ceremony at 9:30 p.m. on Friday, June 23. (Photo © 2006 Michele Anderson)

The Relay For Life is a community event. The public is invited to join the teams in walking and to enjoy the activities.

Team captain coordinator Barb Banfield noted there are 39 teams involved in the Relay this year, with each team having a theme involving Hollywood. 

“Our relay theme this year is "Copper Country Goes Hollywood: Relay With The Stars," the stars being everyone in the entire community -- our walkers, our captains, our co-captains, survivors, caregivers -- our stars of memory," Banfield explained.

Teams of families, friends and work associates honor cancer victims and survivors in the June 2002 Relay for Life at the Houghton High School track. (File photo © 2002 Laurie Curran)

Following the Hollywood theme, this year's events will include "A Copper Country Walk of Fame," "Grease" (based on the musical) and "Let’s Make A Deal." In addition to the parade of teams, the Relay will feature a Torch Run Victory Ceremony and a Luminaria Ceremony (which begins at 9:30 p.m.).

Because the fight against cancer is ongoing, people will always have to be on guard and fight it to the best of their ability. The Relay for Life is just one of many ways to fight it. The Copper Country's 2005 Relay for Life raised a gross amount of $143,000 for the American Cancer Society, Banfield noted. If the local event raises $141,116 this year, the Copper Country Relay for Life total for eleven years will be $1 million.

Kathy Archambeau, left, Relay for Life event manager, and Barb Banfield, team captain coordinator, take a lap in the rain during the 2002 Relay at the Houghton High School track. (File photo © 2002 Laurie Curran)

The money raised locally "comes back to our area with each cancer survivor," Banfield said.

Anyone wishing to contribute by mailing a donation should make the check payable to the American Cancer Society and mail it to Framed by Kathy, 314 Shelden Ave., Houghton, MI 49931.

Click here for the 2006 Relay for Life Schedule.

Editor's Notes:

Kathy Archambeau, owner of Framed by Kathy, a custom framing shop located in downtown Houghton, is a survivor of cancer. She was diagnosed with breast cancer thanks to a routine mammogram at Portage Health System in 1993.* An advocate of mammograms, Archambeau received training in 1994 from Reach to Recovery, a program to help cancer victims and their families. She has been involved in the local Relay for Life since 1996.

Barb Banfield is Kathy Archambeau's cousin, friend, co-worker and fellow survivor.

*You can help fund free mammograms for women in need by clicking on the Breast Cancer Site in the right column of the Keweenaw Now home page.

Guest columnist Wade Wainio of Atlantic Mine is a graduate of Finlandia University.