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		News from the Keweenaw Peninsula Posted June 28, 2002 Text © 2002 Michele Anderson. All photos © 2002 Bill Fink. Published with permission.

Relay for Life tops goal, may net $125,000 for Cancer Society

HOUGHTON -- Houghton's recent Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society raised a gross amount of nearly $135,000 and may net close to $125,000 after expenses -- making it the number one fundraiser of this year's six Upper Peninsula relays.

Luminaria line the Houghton High School track at sunset on June 21 during the Relay for Life fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. (Photo© 2002 Bill Fink)

Similar events were held for the Cancer Society in Ironwood, Iron Mountain, Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie and the Luce County Mackinaw area. The Houghton Relay for Life was a 24-hour event held June 21 - 22 at the Houghton High School track.

"We were absolutely jubilant at the end of the Relay this year," said Kathy Archambeau, event manager. "When Director Mary Sue Peterson announced the total Saturday morning (June 22), the whole crowd broke into cheering, singing and dancing. It was pretty amazing!"

Kathy Archambeau, event manager for the Houghton Relay for Life, pauses during the 24-hour fundraiser for the American Cancer Society held June 21-22 at the Houghton High School track.

In 2001, after reaching the $100,000 goal (for gross amount), with net proceeds of $98,000, the Houghton Relay leaders decided to keep this year's goal at $100,000, which they happily surpassed, Archambeau noted. She estimated the expenses this year should not be greater than $10,000.

Archambeau added that last year only Dickinson County (Iron Mountain) raised a greater amount than Houghton.

"They have a contributor who matches what they take in on the track," she explained.

This year the Houghton Relay had already collected $105,000 going into the Relay (June 19). The rest was made on the track during the actual event. As of Wednesday, June 26, Archambeau said donations were still coming in.

Cookie Johnson (in wheelchair) joins firefighters and law enforcement personnel in leading the Patriots' Lap, honoring victims and rescuers of the September 11 tragedy.

A new lap added to the 2002 Relay was the Patriots' Lap, led by firefighters and police officers, honoring the victims and rescuers of the September 11 tragedy. Participants were encouraged to bring flags and other patriotic items for this walk around the track.

Participants of all ages join in the Patriots' Lap during the 2002 Relay for Life at the Houghton High School track. One observer "guestimated" about 2,000 people attended this year's Relay.

This year's Houghton Relay included about 150 tents and teams' decorations that Archambeau described as "absolutely spectacular" -- for example, the Curves for Women team's cardboard replicas of the Twin Towers (in memory of September 11) and the Statue of Liberty.

"These people went through a lot of trouble for their team decorations," Archambeau said. "It definitely is a community event. It takes a lot of people to throw something like this together."

While some walkers continued the Relay all night, others slept peacefully in the teams' decorated tents.

The highlight of the Relay is the lighting of luminaria and reading of tributes honoring cancer victims.

A group of bagpipers leads a lap during the lighting of the luminaria on Friday evening.

Bill Fink (who took the photos for this article) noted more than 6,000 luminaria were illuminated at the event this year.

"The number of people who attempt to read each of the luminaria is large and quietly moving," he said.

Luminaria bear written tributes honoring family and friends who have been victims of cancer.

The word "HOPE" was spelled out by luminaria on the athletic grandstand.

Luminaria spell out the word "HOPE" on the grandstand. (Photo taken from beneath the grandstand)

Archambeau noted it rained for about 10 minutes at the beginning of the Relay (Friday afternoon), but the weather was fine after that. She said she felt sorry for the Ironwood group, because their Relay was marred by pouring rain.

Go to "More Photos of 2002 Relay for Life."

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