By JULIE CARLE
BG Independent News
When it comes to cancer, the spectrum of the cancer awareness ribbons covers the colors of the rainbow.
The ribbons are pink for breast cancer, red for blood cancers, orange for leukemia and kidney cancer. Different shades of green ribbons represent liver and lymphoma cancers; dark blue, periwinkle and teal for colon, stomach and cervical cancers. Purple for pancreatic and testicular cancers rounds out the rainbow. But there are also white for lung cancer, grey for brain cancer and even zebra black and white for carcinoid cancers.
The palette of colors will be splashed everywhere at the 2023 Wood County Relay for Life on May 20. This year’s theme, All Cancers – One Mission, reinforces the idea that all the cancers and their colors are part of the American Cancer Society’s vision to end cancer as we know if for everyone.
Currently there are 14 teams registered to participate in the 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. event at the Pratt Pavilion on the Wood County Fairgrounds. Bowling Green native Amanda Barndt is the event leader for the relay this year. The Bowling Green High School graduate first became involved in 2021 “after cancer hit too close to home.”
When Barndt was two days old, she lost her maternal grandmother to leukemia followed by her great aunt Judy in 2016 and her Grandpa Rader in 2022. She took action in 2021 “after cancer struck two of my favorite people – my great uncle Ray and my honorary aunt Sharon. They weathered the storm and came out stronger on the other side of the ‘c’ word. I have always loved a good cause and decided to join the 2021 relay in their honor and in memory of those who lost their battles,” Barndt said.
She admitted to her mother that she didn’t know what she was doing, but she had signed up her family for a team. The Hope Brigade was formed.
The 2021 event was moved from spring to fall because of Covid, and the 2022 event returned to the springtime.
Teams are encouraged to raise funds before the event as well as offer food, games or activities on the day of the event.
Barndt’s idea for fundraising in 2021 has stuck. She started by “flocking people” by putting pink flamingoes in their yards and asking for donations to put in the yard, take out of the yard and to “never come back,” she said.
“It was such a success that we sold out every night in half of August and all of September” for the first year. In 2022, the flamingoes made appearances on most nights. There are 20 flamingoes, some regular pink flamingoes and also LED flamingoes. Carting the flamingoes around has raised a couple hundred dollars each year, but they also make people laugh.
The first year for the event after Covid, didn’t have a theme, but last year it was “Relay Around the World.” The Hope Brigade sported red, white and blue for their Team USA.
“The family showed up in full force and everyone spent the entire day,” she said. Her enthusiasm and abiity to get work done, earned her the title of event lead for 2023.
As a former Wood County Fair Board member, Barndt’s connections helped secure the Pratt Pavilion at the fairgrounds again this year. “They were generous to let us use the facility last year and again this year. We are so grateful for that. It is a wonderful facility,” she said.
Each year she looks forward to the event, but she especially enjoys the special laps that kick off with the survivor lap, followed by the caregiver lap. “It’s so powerful to see those who have survived and those caretakers who come out in support,” Barndt said.
There will be more cancer-specific themed laps this year, some with giveaways, such as sun screen after a lap dedicated to those who have had skin cancer.
The lighting of the luminarias at the end of the evening is a testament to the number of people who know someone who has survived their cancer diagnosis as well as those who have died.
The evening activities will also include a Glow in the Dark one-mile kids’ fun run at 7:30 and a 5K run at 8 p.m. Dave’s Running is helping with the run that will take place on the fairgrounds. Thayer Family Dealerships is underwriting the race, which means registration fees – $15 for the fun run and $30 for the 5K – will go directly to the relay. Those who register by May 18 will receive glow sticks and a neon orange T-shirt. Signup is available at runsignup.com.
There is still plenty of time to get involved, according to Barndt. There are 14 teams registered, but teams can be created up to the day of the event.
“For those who aren’t sure how to jumpstart a team, they can come out and see what it’s all about. There are plenty of ways to show your support,” she said. For more information, visit the American Cancer Society’s website or the Relay for Life Facebook page.
“I’m very involved in the community, but this cause has my heart the most,” she said.
