Volunteer of the Month: Relay For Life, Ben Gnacik and the FM student volunteers

By Mel Rubenstein

I live near the FM high school and last June saw a sign advertising the FM Relay For Life, sponsored by the American Cancer Society. Having a family member who has cancer, that sign attracted my attention. It so happens that my family was visiting the day of the event, so we decided to walk over and check it out. Here is what I found out.

The Relay For Life movement began in 1985 and is American Cancer Society’s signature fundraiser dedicated to helping communities attack cancer. At Relay For Life events, no one faces cancer alone. We come together every year at more than 2,500 Relay events around the country to support and celebrate survivors and caregivers.

Each Relay has special events and activities (many throughout the year) just for survivors and their caregivers, so they can connect with others and know there is a strong support system available to them.

Survivors and caregivers are the heart and soul of Relay For Life events. We honor their strength and courage with every step they take. It doesn’t matter if you were diagnosed 10 days ago or 10 years ago, you can walk while everyone gathers together to cheer you on.

Team members and volunteers want everyone to remember those we’ve lost, help those affected today, and give us a home team advantage against cancer. Through funds donated, time given, or awareness raised, communities are teamed up to make a difference. When we rally together in the fight against cancer through this fun and inspirational event, we can accomplish anything.

The annual FM Relay For Life is made possible because of people like Jim Monahan. When Jim was the manager of Walgreens’ stores the mother of one of his assistant managers developed cancer, and then his own Uncle was diagnosed with the dreaded disease. To join the fight against cancer Monahan became Walgreen’s Community Leader for events to raise funds and bring awareness of cancer.

Jim Monahan’s first involvement with Relay For Life was in 2004 and became the team captain while managing the Walgreen store in Baldwinsville. He also conducted meetings with store employees and told them why the American Cancer Society’s slogan is Cancer Never Sleeps, and that awareness can save lives. Employees formed teams and participated in the ‘Striders’ event at the NYS Fairgrounds.

When Monahan retired from Walgreen’s in January 2019 it was a natural transition when he became the Community Development Manager of the American Cancer Society of CNY. It is his responsibility to get people involved, raise funds for research, help get rides to appointments, and staff a 24/7 cancer information hot line. Jim has extra motivation to succeed because his mother is a three year cancer survivor. He said, “It’s a feel good feeling getting people together to accomplish our mission.”

When my family attended the Relay For Life event at FM High School last June I met Ben Gnacik, the volunteer coordinator, who had been teaching at FM for 14 years. When Ben was a high school student in the 1980s he went to a Relay for Life event because his best friend’s mother was diagnosed with cancer. This was his first experience he had with people coping with the disease, and it opened his eyes to how many people have cancer. He remembers that it was an interactive event that taught people the importance of self-screening for cancer. This saved his life, because a couple of years later Ben found a lump that turned out to be cancer. Because it was diagnosed so early it was very small and was successfully treated.

Ben Gnacik started an Honor Society at FM with five of his students. He said; “These kids were special, and challenged themselves to think out of the box. They suggested that the high school participate in the Relay For Life by having their own event. This resonated with me because of my personal experiences with cancer.”

After coordinating with the American Cancer Society, the date was set for the first FM Relay for Life in 2014, which was an overnight event. Ben said; “We had a beautiful day that first year with 500 people attending including cancer survivors and their families.”

It was amazing how many FM students were there volunteering. So important, because without these kids there would be no Relay For Life event. Students volunteer at the information, registration, and donation tables, and are available to help any way they can.

Gnacik said; “Since then we have changed it to an all-day event with participation and donations increasing each year. Now, plans are underway for the next Relay For Life in 2020, with many new students on board.”

During the opening ceremony for Relay For Life everyone touched by cancer is presented with a luminaria. Each light represents a life—a life taken by cancer, a survivor of cancer, or a support for a person still fighting the disease. It’s a powerful demonstration that gives people the opportunity to grieve but also offers comfort and hope.

The closing ceremony is the time to commit to take action and help lead the fight for a world free from cancer. It’s a time to celebrate what we’ve accomplished together and a time to unify for the work that needs to be done moving forward.

While teaching biology at FM, Ben Gnacik sadly lost a student to cancer and an advisor’s father has also recently passed away from the disease. “You never know  when or who it will hit.”

For information about the FM Relay For Life contact Jim Monahan at 315-753-2985 or [email protected].

To recommend someone with a stellar record of volunteering to be featured in this column contact Mel Rubenstein: [email protected] or 315-682-7162.