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Closer
look of remembrance bags directly (below)
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Relay For Life is
a fun-filled, overnight event designed to raise money to
help the Queensland Cancer Fund
save lives, to honour cancer survivors, to help those who
have been touched by cancer, and to assist individuals to
fight this disease. The event raised $84,000 and more money
is expected to be received over the next few weeks.
Relay For Life is
much more than a walk around a track. It is a night for
people who have shared the same experience to comfort and
console one another and celebrate survivorship. Sponsored
teams take turns walking or running laps. Each team must
keep at least one team member on the track at all times.
The ‘best team baton’ was awarded to the ‘Bundaleer
Boomers’, and the ‘best theme’ was the ‘Ned Kelly Gang’.
The most money raised by an individual was achieved by
Steven Dunn. Steven raised $3,000 and his team raised
$6,000.
The
amazing Live entertainment and the reasonably priced food
stalls created a festival fun-like theme. The event also
had a loving, supporting and caring atmosphere. Free
coffee, tea, hot chocolate and cakes were on offer. Many
people set up tents and stayed the night. The ‘best tent
site’ award went to the ‘Lighthouse Keepers’. |
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(Left above photo) 'Best Team
Baton' (by Janelle Robertson); (Right above photo) 'Best Tent Site' |
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Relay For Life helps
Australia to achieve its goal of a future, in which cancer
doesn’t take the lives of our friends and family. The
‘Relay For Life’ day at Amberley featured 33 survivors,
including those who are now cancer-free and those who are
trying to make that a reality. The Chairman of the
Queensland Cancer Branch at Ipswich, John McPherson and his
wife, Jean, devote their whole life to raising money for the
Queensland Cancer Fund. Other
survivors include Janelle Robertson, Entertainment
Co-ordinator of this event, and the MC of the day, Ross Birkett.
Today
both celebrate their victory in beating the disease.
Another survivor, Jenny Dixon, has lost three loved ones to
cancer and the disease has affected seven family members. "This disease needs to be cured," Jenny said.
"Cancer affects so many people, and the key is to find a
cure because of what it does to people.” All survivors I
spoke to have a new outlook and an appreciation of life.
Particular life-issues that would have stressed them prior
to their cancer are now of lesser or no concern at all.
(Above -
afternoon tea presentation for survivors and
carers) Photo taken by Janelle Robertson
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(Left above photo) 'Lighting of the candles
ceremony' (remembrance bags) by Jean McPherson with Chaplin
Curtin and (Right above photo) includes bag-piper RAAF's
Corporal Darren Evans.
(Left above photo) Jenny Dixon
and Janelle Robertson holding photos of loved ones lost by
cancer. (Right above photo) - their tent site and team
members) |
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(Above photo) Fitness and Dance Studios |
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All
entertainers at the event received a ‘Queensland Cancer Fund
– Relay For Life Certificate of Appreciation’. The variety of entertainment
comprised of the gifted ‘Orpheus Singers’,
including Conductor, Denelle Rosenberg, singing
the National Anthem at the opening of the event; and the performance of the ‘Fitness and Dance Studios’
made exercise look fun. |
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The
exceptional dancers of the ‘Ritz Performing Arts Centre’
were a class of their own. Their Principal, Rhonda Binnie,
proudly informed the crowd that currently, a few of her
school’s male students were auditioning for the ‘The Boy From Oz’,
starring Hugh Jackman. More information about the centre
please visit website
www.ritzdance.com |
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(Above photos) - young performers of the
'Ritz Performing Arts Centre') |
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‘Miner
Chords’ was next in line. It is a group of talented men
from Ipswich who demonstrated a ‘cappella chorus style’.
They were followed by the delightful voices of the ‘Cambrian
Youth Choir’. For a change of culture, the very vibrant
and colourful ‘Armenian Dancers’ displayed dances
from the Middle East. Before the next stage performance,
the ‘Flaming Underpants’, a group of young fire
performers, held an captive audience spellbound with their
fire stunts. The lovely Melissa Fellows was the
next act. She previously had a lead role in the Orpheus
Choir’s musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Next in
line was the ‘West Moreton Country Music Association’
which gave the event a taste of country and western.
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(Above photo ) 'Miner Chords' |
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(Above photos) The 'Armenian
Dancers' and the (two photos directly right) - the crowd
joining in with the Middle Eastern dancing. |
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(Above photo) The 'Flaming
Underpants'
Above
photo -
West Moreton Country Music Association |
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Melissa Fellows
(left) |
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'Relay For Life' Teams (right and left above photos)
52 teams with 700
participants took part in the event.
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The pace
then accelerated when the cool and groovy, Brisbane band ‘We
Want More’ stepped onto the stage in their glam rock outfits
and delighted the audience with their seventies music. At
the end of the band’s performance ‘We Want More’
acknowledged that it was an honour and a wonderful privilege
to be part of this event. This appeared to be the feeling
of all of the performers and participants, who performed for
free.
'We Want More' rocking the
night away (above right and left photos) and the
(photo below) capturing what the event represented 'HOPE') |
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(Above photo) -
Seventies competition to go with the theme of next act - 'We
Want More'
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The
following day, those remaining enjoyed a huge cooked
breakfast generously cooked by the RAAF. Greg Beard
from the Queensland Cancer Fund officially closed the
proceedings at 9.00 a.m.
While
having fun, by participating in future ‘Relay for Life’
events people can honour those who have been affected by the
disease. There is hope, and with help from caring people,
each day we are getting closer to a cure!
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Article and photos (unless otherwise stated) by Chrissy Layton,
AusNotebook Music & Creative (26/4/06)
Dedicated to my mother, Jean
Please phone 1300 656 585
if you are interested in forming a team or
click on the link below and register on-line
www.qldcancer.com.au/Fundraising/RelayforLife.html
Click
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