By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
Fundraising teams from across the nation are combining their efforts for the 2021 Relay for Life, which benefits the American Cancer Society. Thanks to the pandemic, Relay for Life events in 2020 were forced to go virtual. This year, ACS decided to streamline its fundraisers. The organization is holding a virtual event kickoff on Facebook at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, which is World Cancer Day.
“Because it’s virtual they decided, ‘Let’s just do one big one,’” said Anna Campanino, a Liverpool resident, longtime volunteer for the Baldwinsville Relay for Life event and co-chair of Festival of Relays.
Before the national event kickoff, Central New York’s Festival of Relays is hosting its own virtual meeting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4. In 2018, three of the area’s longest-standing Relay for Life groups — Baldwinsville, Liverpool and Solvay-Geddes-Westvale — came together to form Festival of Relays.
Bob Elinskas, senior community development manager for ACS, said a drive-thru Festival of Relays event is tentatively scheduled for Friday, June 11.
“We’re definitely planning to hold an in-person event this year. It may not necessarily be the ‘walking the track’-type event that it usually is because of the COVID restrictions,” he said. “Teams can have a parking site along the track and be distanced out from one another and visitors and other teams can drive through. The luminaries will be placed all the way through.”
Elinskas said Relay for Life of Rome held a drive-thru event in September 2020, and Campanino said the Making Strides of Syracuse fundraiser in October 2020 was a similar drive-thru event.
While Festival of Relays has taken place at the New York State Fairgrounds in past years, there may be a change of venue in 2021.
“We’re hoping to be able to hold it at Beaver Lake,” said Elinskas, adding that the festival is still in talks with Beaver Lake Nature Center.
Campanino said local teams are already raising money. At press time, her family’s team, “M.A.R.E.,” had raised $6,665. The team was formed in 2009, one year after Campanino’s cousin, MaryAnn “Mare” McCormick, was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Like many nonprofit organizations, ACS has had a rough time during the pandemic. The Atlanta-based organization laid off 1,000 employees in June 2020 and slashed its budget by 30%. The Hope Lodge program, which provides a place to stay for cancer patients and caregivers who have to travel for treatment, was suspended March 27, 2020. Hope Lodge facilities across the country have been temporarily repurposed as housing for health care workers who do not want to expose their families to COVID.
ACS also had to pause its Road to Recovery program, which provides transportation to cancer treatments.
“We anticipate that it will be back up and running once the restrictions are lifted,” Elinskas said.
Despite the difficulties, ACS has continued to provide support and information for cancer patients and their loved ones via the 24-hour helpline (1-800-227-2345) and its website, cancer.org.
Fortunately, ACS has been able to continue funding cancer research during the pandemic. In March 2020, then-ACS senior community development manager Barb Romeu told Eagle Newspapers that there has been a 29% drop in the cancer mortality rate since 1991 thanks to research funded by the ACS.
While many people have put off going to the doctor during the pandemic, Elinskas said, the ACS is encouraging people to get back on schedule for regular cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies.
“We’ve tried to shift our focus into getting people back into getting their regular screening,” he said. “For finding cancer early when it’s most treatable, the key thing is getting your regular screening.”
With 2020 in the rear-view mirror and vaccine distribution in sight, Elinskas said Relay devotees are looking forward to an in-person event rather than a virtual one.
“We’re excited to have an actual in-person event this year,” Elinskas said. “If people are looking for volunteer opportunities or to get back with their community, this is a great way to do it.”
For the local Festival of Relays kickoff event, visit facebook.com/events/746089399345958/ at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4. Visit bit.ly/Relay2021Kickoff to join the national event at 8 p.m. Feb. 4.
To learn more about Relay for Life or to join a fundraising team, visit relayforlife.org or call the American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.
For information about Festival of Relays volunteer opportunities, contact [email protected].
