M.V. Fund-Raiser Campaign Kicks Off Tues.
The 11th annual Relay for Life at Juniper Valley Park is still many months away, but local activists will officially begin preparations for the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Middle Village fund-raiser with a rally this Tuesday night, Feb. 5, at The Shops at Atlas Park in Glendale.
All are invited to participate in the event, which will begin at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the California Pizza Kitchen restaurant located in Atlas Park off 80th Street south of Cooper Avenue.
Held traditionally on a Saturday night in June at the Brennan Field running track at Juniper Valley Park, the Middle Village Relay for Life has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars for the ACS in the organization’s ongoing efforts to research cancer, treat victims and find a cure for the disease. Maspeth Federal Savings Bank and the Kiwanis Club in Glendale count among the many sponsors of the Relay for Life.
The Middle Village relay is one of hundreds of similar events held across the United States each year to benefit the ACS. In each relay, teams of volunteers run or walk laps for hours; there is also live entertainment and a host of other fun activities for participants to enjoy.
Each Relay for Life opens with the “Survivor Lap,” in which those battling cancer or who are in remission walk a lap around the track. The fund-raising teams then follow the survivors onto the track to begin their journey, which goes on into the night and concludes the following morning.
During the Middle Village relay, the Brennan Field track is illuminated during the night by luminaria placed around the course. The candles in each bag are purchased and lit by family and friends in tribute to loved ones who are battling or have succumbed to cancer.
For more information or to RSVP for Tuesday’s rally, call Leslie Orlovsky of the ACS at 1-718-261- 1092, ext. 5526. To sign up for the Middle Village Relay for Life, call 1- 800-227-2345 or visit www.relayforlife.org.
