On Saturday, October 1, 2011, rain poured down on the Athletic Department’s front field. The weather had no effect on stopping the 12th Annual Day To Fight Cancer. Diane Tiffany organized this year’s walk, bringing some new activities and business to the event. Seven different sports teams had shown up to participate, in addition were some sororities such as Delta Zeta. Plymouth State University’s Dance Team gave a live performance of Zumba in honor of students and relatives fighting cancer. A variety of girls from different organizations were proudly shining their colors in light of the drizzled event. The men’s sports teams would make a later appearance, shrugging off the mud from the torrential downpour.
Plymouth’s Walk for Cancer brings in about twenty-five thousand dollars a year, providing scholarships to families whose siblings or children who are going through the difficulties of cancer. To get the information, the generous incorporation works with the local hospital, getting referrals to people in Plymouth, New Hampshire. Following up this year’s help are textbook awards donated by the campus bookstore.
The walk started at 11:30am. This year’s Miss New Hampshire, Reagan Heartly, showing support for the fundraiser, cut the ribbon. Miss Heartly had also lost a loved one to cancer and was behind Plymouth’s fundraiser leading up to her big cut. ” It’s all about neighbors helping neighbors, and PSU is our neighbor,” said Lyndsay Divine.
Lyndsay along with her partner Mary Jane ran the Silent Auction, a new addition to the walk of 2011. There were some prizes to be won and announcements to be made as the day sloshed on. Another new addition to the walk was the tie-dye T-shirts, made and sold by John Anderson with his wife.
Some of the new items consisted of luminaries, food donations by various companies and businesses of Plymouth or in the area. Energy Kinesiologist Suzanne Schwartz, who works with the American Massage Therapy Association, also pitched in by donated chair massages. In her beliefs, massage therapy is a good tool in healing people with cancer, both emotionally and spiritually. Not only did this event stir up awareness for cancer but uses different ways of healing the traumatic tensions that cancer brings. Updating the front lines were some larger businesses.
The Coca-Cola Company donated PowerAde, and Green Mountain donated the caffeinated beverages. The Common Man network sold hotdogs and hamburgers, and Peppercorn Popcorn gave out their locally famed popcorn bags.
Big businesses weren’t the only ones getting involved. Robert Mcafee’s Brother Dave’s Builders is one small business. Mcafee’s company was named in memory of his late little brother, Dave Brown. Brown unfortunately lost the fight to cancer in May 2004, at only 21 years of age. Incorporated in the same year, the Keeping You, Me & Memories Alive Inc. made Mcafee a welcomed member to their team. Mcafee is also in the league with another cancer awareness organization called Saint Boldricks, strengthening the cause and also the entertainment for the day. Another tool to spread cancer awareness is the website memoriesalive.org, recruiting new sponsors to their cause and promotes T-shirt sales on the side.
Melissa Merrill founded this non-profit group along with the help of seven members. They organized the first Walk for Cancer in 1999. The plan was to spread awareness to students or family members dealing with the hardships of cancer. Working in the Counseling Center of Plymouth State, Melissa’s goal was inspired by one of her loved one’s death from the rampant disease.