Polk County Relay for Life Well Represented

BY MELANIE BUCK –

Each year, more than 4 million people in over 20 countries raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer through the American Cancer Society Relay For Life movement, and Polk County is a big part of the process. Polk County boasts 16 teams that have raised $38,655.89 to help fund the fight against cancer.

In May 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington, ultimately raising $27,000 to help the American Cancer Society fight the nation’s biggest health concern cancer. A year later, 340 supporters joined the overnight event. Since those first steps, the Relay For Life movement has grown into a worldwide phenomenon, raising nearly $5 billion to fight cancer.

According to their website, www. http://relay.acsevents.org/, at Relay For Life events, “communities across the globe come together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that has already taken too much.” The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is the world’s largest and most impactful fundraising event to end cancer.

As part of the Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back mantra, during a Relay event, participants and survivors celebrate what they’ve overcome; remember people lost to the disease and honor people who have fought or are fighting cancer; and the event inspires Relay participants to take action against a disease that has taken too much.

In May of each year teams worldwide come together for a main event to raise funds together to add to what has been raised by individual teams throughout the year. Teams from Polk County will hold their event in Janssen Park on May 29, beginning at 6 p.m. Debbie Welch and Brandi Sachs are co-chairs of Polk County Relay for Life. For information about the event, contact Welch at dwelch@healthy-connections.org or Sachs at brandisachs@yahoo.com.

With the annual Relay for Life approaching, here is some information on the teams that represent Polk County along with some information on events that lead up to the main event and how you can help Polk County Relay for Life fight cancer.

Glow Worms team leader, Amber Brewer says that people should, “go with your skin’s natural glow!” to help combat Melanoma Skin Cancer. Team Glow Worms has 5 members, ‘and counting’ says Brewer and their cause is the Melanoma Awareness & Prevention Program (M.A.P.P.). Brewer founded M.A.P.P. after being diagnosed with Melanoma. The 2^nd annual M.A.P.P. Pageant will be held April 4, at 2 p.m., at The Crossing Center in Mena.

Amber is open to giving her MAPP presentation to any classroom, organization, etc. where the audience finds out their skin type, ABCDE’s to Melanoma, 5 S’s to skin cancer prevention, and other facts. Contact her to schedule or join at 2014mapp@gmail.com or 479-243-5083.

HCI Sandra’s Hope is a team named in memory of Sandra Sessler that is based from Healthy Connections, Inc. The team captain is Debbie Welch and co-captain is Dolores Soliz. Welch is also also the 2015 Polk County Relay for Life Co-Chair, a position she has held for 4 years, and also the Survivor Chair.

Welch said, “We have many on our team with cancer. We relay to find cures for ALL cancers. Some of our fundraisers have been afghan raffles, gift basket raffles, wreath raffle, quilt raffle, and t-shirt sales. We also do breakfasts and lunches for our employees for donations. Our biggest fundraiser is our breakfast burritos. This year our breakfast burrito day will be April 10. We deliver to local businesses. Individuals can pick up their orders at the clinic’s back door. We will start advertising this event in a couple of weeks.”

For more information about HCI Sandra’s Hope, contact Welch at 479-234-5058 or 479-437-3449, ext 125.

Ink Volunteer Fire & Family has twenty members. Team leader James Hale can be reached at 243-7388 or firefighter.12@live.com. Ink Volunteer Fire & Family fights to bring awareness to all types of cancer. On April 18, at 7 p.m., they will hold a work auction. “We are a team of firefighters and family working together to fight cancer with the same passion we fight fires with,” said Hale.

Mena Regional Health System has 25 members. Co-Captain Carol Lane said, “ I have several family members that have lost the battle with cancer and I have a 15 almost, 16, year old son who was diagnosed with acute leukemia at age 3. He is doing great in the 9th grade and loves to play sports It is very rare to find someone that cancer has not touched their life in someway.” Lane can be reached at 479-216-6272 or carol@menaregional.com or you can also contact co-captain Jacqueline Gallego at 479-234-0444.

“The Nidec Relay For Life Team has 9 members who have signed up so far but more who are working on the team but haven’t signed up yet,” said Regina Lawry, team captain. The team is based at the Nidec plant.  “Many of our Nidec family have loved ones who are fighting cancer or have been lost to the disease,” explained Lawry. The Nidec team has raised $18,000.00 for Relay For Life this year.  They held a fundraiser on March 20 raising over $4,700.00 selling BBQ.  Jim Stroop and his team started cooking at midnight and cooked 900 pounds of meat.  Lunches were sold at the Nidec plant and were delivered all over town.  You can contact Lawry at

abuelaloca@sbcglobal.net or 479-234-1608.

The Purple Onions are based at the Union Bank of Mena, being led by Shelly Harvey. “We relay for all cancer,” said Harvey. They have several upcoming events. On April 3, there will be a Biscuits & Gravy fundraiser at the Hatfield branch; a BBQ lunch at the Mena branch on April 30; and a possible yard sale on May 2. “We are selling UB Clowning for A Cure bracelets and Hope T-shirts and we have two raffles going on at all branches. One is for a Go Pro camera and the other is assorted fishing equipment,” Harvey said. She can be reached by calling 479-394-2211.

Bear State Bank of Mena and Cove are the homes of Quarters for a Cure, which has 7 team members. Heather Lackey is one team leader and can be contacted by calling 479-394-3838 or email at hlackey@bearstatebank.com, or contact their second team leader, Tabatha Vieira at tvieira@bearstatebank.com. Lackey said, “Everyone on our team has been affected by cancer, we represent everyone who is fighting or has fought the battle!”

Team leader Charlotte Wiles of Rich Mountain Community College says they have, “fifteen members and growing.” They are located at RMCC and are planning a bake sale for Thursday, April 2. Also on their calendar, are fundraising activities during RMCC fun day on April 15^, and a golf scramble with dates that will be announced soon. Wiles said, “RMCC supports the efforts of the American Cancer Society through the Polk County Relay for Life event.  Many members of the RMCC family have been a victim of the terrible disease and WE WANT A CURE! Relay gives our team an opportunity to donate to the research efforts of ACS, support the survivors and fighters of cancer, and honor those who were taken by cancer.”

Anna Drake, team leader of Team Felicia, said, “We have no official number on our team as we are made of family and friends of our beloved Felicia Huff, whom we dedicate our participation in this year’s event. We lost Felicia to cervical cancer November 7, 2014. I, myself, also dedicate my participation to our Aunt Mary Willis, who has battled breast cancer and continues to fight, and my great Uncle Ricky Flournoy who has battled colorectal cancer. Team Felicia currently has a shirt fundraiser on booster.com under the name Relay for Life Team Felicia fundraiser. The deadline for orders is April 15. They are planning to have a candle/bath basket to raffle, however the date is undetermined. Drake said, “Felicia participated in past Relays, as a fighter and survivor, and we tribute this year to her and her long fought battle.”

Mena Gaming 4 a Cure is led by Nick Worth and Tyler Lane and has about twenty members. They hold video game tournaments and other events to raise money for Relay for Life. Their most recent event was a Guitar Hero Warriors of Rock Tournament. Worth said, “We care about the community and we do all we can to help.” They are in the planning process of a talent show set for May 25 at Ouachita Little Theatre and a softball tournament to be held May 2-3 at Aubrey Tapley Park in Mena. You can view all upcoming events at MenaGaming.2ya.com. Worth can be contacted by email at menagaming@live.com or 479-216-8961 or reach Lane at awsomeman123479@gmail.com  or 479-216-7119.

Keeley Jones heads up Bearcats for a Cure, based at Mena High School, as team captain, and is sponsored by Julie Gordon. The team has around 30 members from MHS and they work to combat all cancer. On Saturday, March 21, Bearcats for a Cure held the first ever Bearcats Purple Relay 5k, which raised almost $4,000. Jones said, “Relay for Life has been a great way to get more teens at Mena High School involved in helping create a world with more birthdays.” Contact Jones at keeleyhensley@gmail.com 479-234-7680.

The Tyson Relay for Life Team is made up of around 18 members, but everyone at their facility participates in one way or another.  “The Grannis Tyson Relay Team prefers to support all causes and all individuals that are going through this battle in life and we hope what we do helps to find a cure or helps individuals reduce or eliminate the fight they are battling,” said team leader Vanessa Dering.  Grannis Tyson Relay Team holds several fundraising events throughout the year including, selling nachos, candy bars, bake sales, decorated baskets, and Indian Tacos.  “We appreciate everyone that supports and participates in this wonderful event. God bless each and every one of you,” said Dering. Vanessa Dering can be reached at 870-385-3204 (work), 580-703-3998 (cell) or e-mail at, Vanessa.Denton@tyson.com.

Cruizzers’ Cruizzin for a Cure is led by team leader Brandi Sachs who says their team is made up of family, employees, and friends. Sachs also serves as Event Leader on the Polk County Relay Committee. “I put this team together after I lost my Aunt Peggy to a three month fight of pancreatic cancer in July 2011. Each person on my team has been affected by cancer, either by family or friend,” said Sachs. She said they started their fundraising year out with a Biscuits & Gravy fundraiser in February and are planning a big corn dog sale in April, a bake sale, and basketball game against Ink Fire Department. “We are looking forward to raising money for a cure for all cancer, so that there can be more birthdays,” Sachs said. For more information on Cruizzers’ Cruisin for a Cure, contact Sachs at brandisachs@yahoo.com.

Hope Floats is a 30-member team based out of Mena Walmart. Team leader Jana Hettler said, “We have many associates who have, or had, cancer and we want to represent all of them.” She said the team is working on several new projects and to watch for details in the store.
 “We are very excited to see what comes from this year. We have more members this year than we have had in a long time.” Hettler can be reached at 479-216-4919 or by email at teamhopefloatswm@gmail.com.

Terri Harrison leads the Courthouse Heroes in the fight for a cure. The team consists of around 15 courthouse employees, employees of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and employees of local attorney offices. Harrison said, “Many of our team members have had family and friends affected by cancer so we are just trying to raise awareness of all types of cancer and raise funds to help find a cure.” The Courthouse Heroes recently held their annual Miss Sweetcheeks Pageant fundraiser and will be having a co-ed softball tournament on April 18th and are currently looking for teams to enter. They are also selling chances on a Scentsy Warmer and a Gas Grill.  You can contact Terri Harrison at 479-234-1562 or terrij1970@yahoo.com or any team member for more information on any of these fundraisers.

Acorn is Nuts for a Cure is a group led by Jared Standridge, a senior at Acorn High School. The team consists of 15 members from Acorn High School, mainly students with a few staff. Their team fights to bring awareness to all types of cancer. “All of us are touched by cancer in some way so we are making a fight to help cure all,” said Standridge.

To find out more about Polk County Relay for Life, visit www.relayforlife.org/polkar or contact any of the above Chairs, Captains, or team members.

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