(KNSI) – Community members and those affected by cancer will be in Sartell Saturday night to raise money for research during the annual American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in central Minnesota.
Volunteer Rose Wegscheid got involved 13 years ago after her sister-in-law was diagnosed with brain cancer and asked her to be a sponsor. Rose says she thought about it and started writing down the names of everyone she knew who had been touched by cancer. She stopped at 45.
“I gave myself one hour while I was still doing my job. I wrote down all these names that popped in and kept working. And at the point that I hit that mark, and there were tears in my eyes, and it was like I didn’t have a choice but to take a stand. I’m going to help create hope, and that’s what this is about. ”
The two walked together that year, but Rose’s sister-in-law passed away before they could do a second walk. She says that has given her the passion for continuing to volunteer and help.
The event is Saturday from 3:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Sartell Community Center. Rose gave a rundown of the evening’s events.
“The very first lap is our survivor’s lap, followed by a caregiver’s lap. Every survivor will tell you they couldn’t make that journey without their caregivers, so they are just as important as our survivors. And then we proceed into the night. Seven o’clock is messages to heaven. At 8:30, we light the luminaries.”
She says to come out whether you want to walk one lap or all of them. This year’s goal is to raise $60,000. As of Monday afternoon, the local chapter had raised around $35,000.
Rose says the American Cancer Society is the second largest donor to cancer research, behind only the federal government.
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