Fielder’s Choice

I paused Friday night while Erin and I were walking around the field at Sam Coopwood Park.

Erin was curious.

I told her I wanted to take a photo of one of the luminaries.

We picked out one of the many beautifully decorated bags. This one included a colorful flower.

There’s not a more beautiful site than going to the Marshall County Relay For Life and seeing the many luminary bags lining the track. They serve as a reminder of the lives lost to cancer and those people battling the disease.

This past weekend, many Marshall Countians pulled together once again to help in the fight against cancer. Based on what I saw, crowd-wise, the event was a huge success.

When Erin and I drove up to the park, we wondered if we were even going to be able to find a parking place.

Then as we began our walk around the field, we saw lots of familiar faces – all united in a common cause.

Erin, who is 15, recalled some of her first Relays as a child at Sam Coopwood Park. And I remembered rushing back from one of Andy’s Dizzy Dean baseball games, when he was probably 12, so we could participate in the event.

Relay For Life is a great event, for several reasons.

First and foremost, the money raised goes to the American Cancer Society to be used for prevention and treatment of cancer. The disease has touched all of our lives – through family and friends.

Thank you, Marshall Countians, for opening your hearts and your pocketbooks to support such a worthy cause. Perhaps someday, a cure for cancer will be found, and we all have to keep that hope and prayer.

Secondly, Relay For Life is a celebration. It celebrates life. It began this year, as always, with the Survivors’ Lap. Each year, seeing these survivors join hands and walk around the track, it’s emotional and uplifting.

Thirdly, Relay For Life honors those who have lost their lives to cancer. My mother was diagnosed with a type of leukemia in 2013 and died just a few weeks later at age 83. I thought of her often as Erin and I walked several laps last Friday night.

We should never forget those who have gone on before us, who loved us and influenced us. This event helps us to pause, to think, to remember.

Fourthly, and as stated earlier, Relay For Life pulls our community together. As we walked Friday night, Erin saw friends and teachers, and I was able to introduce her to several friends of mine who she had not met.

This event is all about friendship. It’s all about sharing laughs and smiles. It’s all about unity and love for one another.

Nationally, Relay For Life began in 1985. Since then it has spread to thousands of locations in the United States and other countries.

Once again, “thank you” to the volunteers and contributors who make the Marshall County Relay For Life a successful venture. It’s a year-round process. Get involved. Help make a difference in the fight against cancer.