Love and Hope Permeate
Huntington’s Relay For Life
Feelings of love and hope permeated the large crowd at last weekend’s Relay For Life at Huntington High School. The sprawling event raised $132,054 as of Sunday afternoon to help aid the American Cancer Society’s long fight against a dreaded disease.
Love was a word heard over and over again as the Huntington High School community rallied to support those engaged in their own private battles against cancer and their caregivers and the brave souls who have lost their respective battle. There was also a sense of hope, that there the ranks of survivors will grow and that those currently fighting the disease will “celebrate more birthdays.”
A crowd of about 1,500 turned out for the opening ceremonies Saturday night. It was hard not to get emotional as Huntington junior Samantha Conte spoke about her father’s long struggle against T-cell lymphoma and how the two of them dealt with it.
Assemblyman James D. Conte graduated with Huntington’s Class of 1977 and went on to serve with distinction in the New York State Legislature for 24 years. Ms. Conte spoke about how she tried to keep a normal routine going while her dad lied in his bed at Mount Sinai Hospital and how the two of them laughed and cried together during regular visits.
Senior Hector Alvarado, who chaired the event along with Summer Rudish, Caitlin Yabroudy and Olivia Palmer, also spoke, describing being diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer and the surgery and treatments that followed.
Mr. Alvarado singled out his parents and family for getting him through the ordeal, friends and neighbors for dropping off meals and toys and his third grade teacher Karen Mallow-Rizzo for tutoring and supporting him. Cancer free for many years, the teenager said the experience has given him an appreciation for each day as it comes “because no one knows if it will be their last.”
Alyssa Knudsen, the American Cancer Society’s staff partner assigned to Huntington’s Relay For Life, provided students with guidance and support along the way. She also spoke at the opening ceremony and told how it was a pleasure to work with the student organizing committee and how Huntington High School’s Relay For Life will also be special to her since it was the first new event she worked on after assuming her position three years ago.
The four event chairs and an organizing committee of about 40 students ran this year’s Relay For Life, which drew 86 fundraising teams comprised of 740 members. Another 750 students, parents, family members, friends and alumni turned out over the course of the evening to share in the fun, walk laps of remembrance around the Blue Devil Stadium track or take in the entertainment.
Many fundraising teams sold various items during the event to generate additional monies. “The students did a fabulous job organizing and supporting this year’s Relay,” said Joseph Cohen, a Huntington science teacher and the National Honor Society faculty advisor. The NHS is the organization that coordinates Huntington’s annual Relay, which is in its third year.
State Assemblyman Chad Lupinacci spoke at the opening ceremony as did Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky, who told the crowd his family has lost members to cancer and that his mother is a breast cancer survivor. He commended all of those who worked behind the scenes to plan and execute the large undertaking as well as those who participated on teams.
Near the close of the opening ceremony, dozens of cancer survivors assembled on the track to walk the ceremonial first lap of the event. As folks of all ages made their way around the oval, some supported by their caregivers, students lined the track. It was a tear-jerking moment and an inspiration for everyone involved in the event.
Participating teams was required to have at least one member on the track walking at all times because “cancer never sleeps.” Some participants covered more than 10 miles over the course of the night, including Blue Devil track coach Shawn Anderson and Huntington School Board member Bill Dwyer, who walked as he watched the New York Rangers play in the Stanley Cup finals.
When participants weren’t walking, they were socializing, playing lawn games, reading, eating or enjoying round-the-clock entertainment on a huge portable stage donated by the town. There was even a late night showing of the movie Frozen.
The Huntington Booster Club was on hand providing food and refreshments from the stadium field house. Dozens of local businesses contributed by buying ads that were placed on signs around the site, contributing to the Relay online through donations to participants and by providing goods.
When the sun finally set on a beautiful 75 degree evening, four separate units of portable lights powered by diesel generators illuminated the athletic fields and the Blue Devil Stadium complex. Participants played games on the synthetic turf field while hundreds silently circled the track during the overnight hours.
Mr. Cohen said that organizers were supported by Huntington High School Principal Carmela Leonardi and Director of Facilities Alvin White “every step of the way.” He said his own role was a relatively small one and that “all the credit should go to an incredible group of students who organized the whole thing.”
By the time the event wrapped up at daybreak on Sunday, those that had made it through the night were drained. As participants walked to their cars, they did so knowing they had just played a key role in one of the most awesome displays of love, hope and celebration that Huntington High School has ever seen.