Relay Weekend!!!

Mira Mesa Rancho Penesquitos Relay For Life 2011!!!

A very special thanks to those of you who came out to support the unofficial Camp Reach for the Sky Relay For Life.

Think back to your first steps, first day of high school, first date, or first time hearing the Camp Reach for the Sky anthem. What do all these events have in common? Two things. First, they are monumental steps in this journey we call life that we will never forget. Second, they were probably a little rocky. But live and learn, that’s the motto.

Last weekend was my first Relay for Life, and much like the previously mentioned occurrences, it was a memorable, amazing, experience with as many ups and downs as a camel’s back. I’m going to start with some advice to anyone looking to do relay for the first time. First, don’t wear jeans. Despite the overcast temperature, I would have traded cold legs for the uncomfortable 4 miles walking in jeans any day. Second, bring a tent to sleep in. My mentality going in was that tents were only for circuses and used car sales, but I learned they are also for warm sleeping. As you can see in the picture Yoda creepily took of me while I was sleeping, my state could only be described as a second cousin of an icicle. My sleeping bag was as thin as a yo-yo string, but it was for a good cause…and I can get behind that.

It really is amazing seeing so many people come together for such a great cause. Much like Camp Reach for the Sky, events like this give people a chance to forget about their disease and issues and be normal for a day. Not only normal, but like everybody else. Aside from a few live performances that made the Friday night karaoke regulars sound like American Idol winners, the atmosphere was perfect. Whether we were playing flip cup with “Instant-Diabetic” Hawaiian Punch, eating lemons for donations, or walking around the track waiting for the sun to break through the clouds, it was something I’ll never forget.

Unfortunately cancer is a strong fighter. Some could compare it to Ivan Drago from Rocky 4. But the army of soldiers fighting against it is Rocky. And events like Relay for Life make us stronger. It may be the 15^th round before we knock cancer out, but we will. And when we do, we will be unstoppable.

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