By Brenda Sexton

The Courier-Herald

Last year, interest in Buckley's American Cancer Society fund-raising event - Relay For Life - rose as the deadly disease took the lives of community members Chris Hahto, Fred Arsanto and Linda Haller. This year, a White River High team is forming to raise awareness and raise money in memory of their good friend Melissa Sherburn.

"It keeps getting closer to home," team members Michelle Ball and René Bonville.

The group of mostly sophomores has dubbed its team "The Pink Ladies" and will be sporting "We love Melissa" T-shirts in her favorite color pink. They are also hoping to dedicate one-hour of laps and donations during the relay to Sherburn.

"It's fun. I love the relay," team captain Jessica Magstadt said. This is her second year leading a Relay For Life team. There are only a handful of teams from the high school this year. Magstadt started last year's team as a tribute to her grandmother who died from cancer eight years ago. This year the team wanted to honor Sherburn, who died after a brief battle with Alveolar Rhabadomyo Sarcoma, a rare form of childhood cancer, in March.

Jennifer Reisinger, who spearheaded a fund-raising drive called Links of Love for Sherburn earlier in the year, said Sherburn would have liked this tribute.

Relay For Life is a community event designed to raise money for research and programs, draw awareness to the deadly disease, educate people on how to prevent and detect cancer when possible and celebrate the lives of those who have won the battle against one of America's top killers.

Teams of 12 to 18 walkers from businesses, churches, schools, organizations, families and neighborhoods join with the cancer survivor (the honored guests) and their families for the event. It works like this: one member of each team should be on the track throughout the event, whether walking, running, wheel chairing, or sitting in a lawn chair on the track. Each team participant is asked to raise flat donations (not pledges per lap).

Last year, Buckley teams raised close to $40,000.

Each American Cancer Society Relay For Life kicks off with cancer survivors walking the first lap. This year the event begins at 6 p.m. May 20. Buckley organizers are searching the community for survivors to be honored. Anyone wishing to be included, or who knows of someone to include, may contact the cancer society.

"Think this year it's going to be a lot bigger," Pink Lady team member Kyla Kaelin said. The relay is moving back to Sheets Field on the Glacier Middle School campus after a one-year trial at White River High. Organizers hope the downtown location will bring more folks in off the street.

After the survivor lap, team participants start their rotations through noon May 21. After dark, around 10 p.m., luminary bags are lit in honor of those surviving/battling cancer and in memory of those who have lost their lives to the disease. The luminary candles stay lit throughout the night, motivating the walkers through their paces. Entertainment, carnival activities and kids activities, colorful decorated tents, prizes, games and fun for all ages round out the Relay For Life experience. There is also information about the American Cancer Society's educational programs, research, patient services and advocacy efforts.

Last year, on short notice, The Pink Ladies threw a team together and raised $1,000. This year they have loftier goals - $5,000, but are already on their way. Two car washes at the Burnett Store netted $300, and the girls are hot on the trail of donations through their parents' work offices.

The team is also splitting the proceeds from a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Mountain Meadow Elementary School.

More information about the relay is available through Michelle VanHoff with the American Cancer Society at 253-272-5767 or Michelle.VanHoff@cancer.org.