For Tish Howard-Clark and her husband, Danny Clark, participating in the upcoming Relay for Life event in Bradford is a way to give back to an organization that has supported their little daughter Addy’s fight against cancer.
The couple and their daughters of the Positive Addy “Tude” team and other teams with the McKean County Chapter of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life gathered this week to discuss the upcoming June 22-23 Relay at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. The teams also met with Stacy Williams, event lead, and Shane Launer, Relay for Life community manager, to muster up volunteer help for Saturday’s 12th annual Miller Lite Bar Stool Open.
Williams said this year’s Relay, which will ask teams to create a holiday theme, has a goal of raising $55,000; therefore, every team’s effort and all related fundraisers are needed. Williams said all Relay funds raised will provide local support for cancer patients and programs.
In addition to the Positive Addy “Tude” team, others that gathered this week at the Church of the Ascension in Bradford included Team Casper; BRMC; Family Ties; Money, Love, Cure; and the Otto-Eldred Education Association.
Nancy Price and Judi Bennett of Team Casper said their holiday theme will be Flag Day.
“We’re survivors. that’s why we started (the team): so we can give back,” Price said. “We do accounting and sponsorship (for the Relay) and will be in a tent anyway, so we’re going to put American flags up all around us.”
Mary Rovito, a cancer survivor, and her sister, Jean Morton, are part of the Family Ties team, which will have an Easter theme. Rovito believes Family Ties is one of the longest-running teams with the local Relay, which will celebrate its 24th anniversary this year.
“You see more and more survivors all the time,” Morton said. “It’s not a death sentence anymore when you hear the word cancer.”
Morton said she hopes all their efforts in raising funds for the Relay “will help somebody” in the community.
The “Money, Love, Cure” team members, Michele Backhus, her mother Linda Confer and daughter, Anna, said their team will have a Christmas theme.
Backhus said cancer touched their family when her late father, Michael Confer, died from the disease five years ago.
“We’ve had the team three years in memory of my dad,” Backhus said. Confer said the team derived its name from the first letters of Michael Lee Confer’s initials, MLC.
Jim Stuck, of the Otto-Eldred Education Association, said the school district has had a small team for several years. The team will be at the Relay once again in memory of several staff members who have died from cancer. Stuck, an elementary teacher, said the team’s holiday theme is the Fourth of July.
All of the team members at the meeting said they plan to help with the Bar Stool Open this weekend because it’s a good fundraiser. Williams said the event is also entertaining because participants often dress in costumes.
“Last year we had the Addams Family come through, so it’s a lot of fun,” Williams remarked. “They register to participate so that registration fee goes to Relay for Life.”
She noted that all of the participating bars have also built putt-putt greens for the People’s Choice for Best Hole and Judges’ Choice contests. She said participants can vote for their favorite hole by placing $1 per vote in the bin by the putt-putt hole of choice. The money raised from that will go to the Relay.
“Some of (the bars) have gone way out to do this,” Williams added. “All of the bars will also have different food to eat.”
The Bar Stool event will be held from noon to 6 p.m. at the Hotel Holley, Players Downtown, The Lighter Side, Corner Bar and Restaurant, The New City Line, Marsh’s Bar, Bradford VFW, Bradford American Legion, Bradford Eagles, Byllye Lanes, Model T, New Keystone, JJ’s Saloon, Viola’s, Marche Club, The Edge, The Roadhouse, The Same Old Kitchen, Vavalos, Rookies and The Italian Club.
