June 11, 2014 at 2:36 p.m.
Mayor asks community to 'paint the town purple' for Relay for Life event
Mayor asks community to 'paint the town purple' for Relay for Life event
By Kayla Thomason-
"Paint the Town Purple week is an official proclamation from the mayor for June 8-14 and different businesses participate in different ways," said Angie Harris, Relay for Life of Oneida County event chairperson.
As part of the "Paint the Town Purple" initiative, local businesses were asked to support Relay for Life by displaying purple in their windows. Some displayed purple dresses or fabrics for the event. Other businesses are offering specials to support the event.
The mayor will read the proclamation during the Relay for Life opening ceremony at 6 p.m. at Mike Webster Stadium.
A representative from the James Beck Cancer Center and honorary survivor Brian Norberg will also address the crowd.
"Keep supporting and praying for the people that have cancer because the road's not short, it's a long, long road ahead," Norberg said.
Norberg has been treated for both lung and brain cancer.
This is the first year he is leading Relay for Life but he did walk a lap last year and will be making the trek again this year.
The first official lap around the track is reserved for the survivors and their caregivers.
"We call it the Pyramid of Hope where we have the survivor that was diagnosed one year or less at the front of the line, one year to five years, five years to 10 years, and we have everybody line up that way and we ask them to turn around and see all of the people behind them who have been down this road before and are there behind them to support them," Harris said.
Harris has been involved in the Relay since her mother succumbed to cancer in 2012.
This year's theme for Relay for Life is Superheroes Against Cancer.
"The committee has worked together to infuse the superhero concept into the event and the NCSS students have created some cutouts and we're going to do the superhero challenge," Harris said.
The public is invited to take photos with the cutouts.
Entertainment will be provided by Tunesmith Academy and a deejay.
Children can have fun getting their faces painted, jumping in the bounce house and playing carnival games. They can also run around in banana car boxes which will be painted like cars and have straps attached so children can wear them and "buzz around."
"It should be cute," Norberg said.
Bucketheads will serve food and there will be refreshments specifically for survivors. There will also be raffles. Items up for raffle include an autographed Green Bay Packers football, a stay at Comfort Inn and other assorted baskets.
"The Packer ball is kind of a big draw because you just can't compete with that," Harris said.
Raffle tickets are available at BMO Harris until Friday night. The remainder will be sold at the Relay.
During the night silence will fall for the Luminary Ceremony.
"At 9 p.m. the music goes quiet, we have some appropriate music playing at that time and the names of all the survivors and memoriams are read individually throughout the ceremony," Harris said. "And it is just a time of reflection and a time of missing those that we've lost and being grateful for the time that we have."
White luminary bags will line the track, their candlelight glowing softly. The cost to purchase a luminary bag is $5.
Earthly Angels will also be displayed to thank caregivers for all they have done.
At 11:30 p.m. paper lanterns with little candles will be released, dotting the night sky with hope and love.
There will be a Facebook photo contest where people can post photos of Relay for Life. It will continue throughout the summer.
Other fundraising activities will be held throughout the summer including car washes and bake sales. The Bark for Life will be held Aug. 23.
Relay for Life has been a part of the Rhinelander community for over 10 years.
"We're really just asking the community to come out and support the event," Harris said. "It's a way to give the community a chance to fight back against something that has influenced really every one of us in this community in one way or another and have a little fun celebrating our survivors."
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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