They walked in clear skies. They walked in rain. The walked in the middle of the night. They walked as the sun rose in the east.
They walked for those no longer with us. They walked for those still fighting. They walked to raise awareness. They walked to raise money.
They walked with hope for a cure.
Hundreds of participants spent 24 consecutive hours this past weekend walking in Oxford’s 2nd Annual Relay for Life held at the high school track.
The signature event for the American Cancer Society raised more than $51,000 to help fight cancer through research, education, advocacy and services.
‘It’s a little less than last year, but pretty good considering the weather we had to brave,? said Cheryl Donohoe, Associate Executive Director for the American Cancer Society.
This year’s goal was $78,000, but Oxford resident Melissa Flanagan, chair of the relay planning committee, was still pleased with the outcome.
‘Raising so much money when attendance was down is phenomenal,? she said. ‘This shows how much people care. I’m impressed with our community once again.?
Flanagan noted that donations are still coming in and she expects the total to increase to between $55,000 and $60,000.
Seventeen teams walked the track, camped out on the football field and raised money through donations, games and selling various items.
For the second year in a row, the Oxford Bank team raised the most money collecting at least $17,727.
The ‘Bee-lievers? team, which represented all five of Oxford’s elementary schools, came in second raising $5,287.
Raising $4,500, the third highest amount, was the ‘Superman? team, which walked in honor of Oxford student Michael Magdaleno, who died of cancer in November 2004 at age 13.
A first-year relay team, ‘Team Poppie,? received an honorable mention for raising $4,413. The team also won ‘Best Decorated Camp Site? for its Elvis Blue Hawaii theme.
Team Poppie is named for Bob Taylor, who died a year ago this month from kidney cancer at age 57. Explaining the reason behind the camp site theme, Taylor’s daughter, Barb Couwlier, of Oxford, said her dad was a ‘big fan? of Elvis Presley and when he found out his condition was terminal, he took a trip to Hawaii.
The ‘OUMC Faithful Kickers? won an award for having the most team spirit, while the ‘Sole Sisters? won for having the ‘most soul.?
The opening lap of this year’s Relay for Life was dedicated to the late Lonnie Esckelson’s memory.
A member and past commander of Oxford American Legion Post 108, the 57-year-old Esckelson passed away on May 14, 2005 after having proudly marched as a member of the Color Guard during the opening ceremonies for last year’s Relay for Life.
‘I was thinking of you as a I stood on East Burdick Street. It was Poppy Days,? said Jim Parkhurst, of Legion Post 108, who spoke before the Color Guard marched the opening lap alone. ‘I looked over and a young boy on a bicycle motioned for me to come over. He said, ‘My Grandpa Lonnie did the same thing and he always stood on West Drahner. I gave him a poppy and saluted.?
‘I know Lonnie was on West Drahner that day and he is with the Honor Guard today in his navy uniform,? Parkhurst said.
Approximately 27 cancer survivors walked in this year’s ‘Survivor Victory Ceremony.? Kim Beardsley, an Oxford resident who spent the last year battling breast cancer, told the crowd prior to her diagnosis on May 25, 2005 she thought cancer was ‘something that only happened to other people.?
‘This of course is not at all how I thought my life would be at 39 years of age,? she said. ‘Nor did I ever imagine I would celebrate my 40th birthday laying on the couch because I had just had chemo and I couldn’t do anything else. I was too tired and too weak to do anything else.?
But Beardsley did not give up.
She braved numerous surgeries and chemotherapy treatments because she knew, as a single mother, she had to live for her two children ? Peyton, a third-grader at Clear Lake Elementary, and Parker, an eighth-grader at Oxford Middle School.
‘If ever I questioned why I was trying so hard to make this journey, all I had to do was look at them,? Beardsley said. ‘They gave me the strength to be positive and to be strong and to move forward.?
Beardsley told the crowd that cancer doesn’t have to be the end, it doesn’t have to be an automatic death sentence.
‘I truly believe we are all handed situations to make us stronger,? she said. ‘That this is how we grow. It’s up to us how we handle those situations.?
‘From the moment we are diagnosed, we are victims. We must choose to be survivors.?