As the lights dim and silence falls on the fairgrounds, a special Luminaria Ceremony during the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Sullivan begins. This Luminaria Ceremony remembers those lost to cancer and honors those who have battled and won by lining a walking path with lit candles in bags known as luminaria. The ceremonial candlelighting takes place on Aug. 13 at 9 p.m. at the Sullivan fairgrounds.
Last year, The Sullivan Family Worship Center not only attended their first Relay, they also volunteered to organize the Luminaria Ceremony and are preparing the ceremony again for the 2010 Relay.
“Last year, we had 20 members on our team but half the church was walking around at the event who weren’t on the team because they wanted to come and help us and buy things from people to raise money,” said Marcus Mercer, team captain for the Sullivan Family Worship Center and Luminaria Ceremony chair. All ages of the church became involved in the ceremony, each with different roles.
The Luminaria Ceremony serves as a time to honor survivors as well as to remember those who have lost their battle against cancer. The Sullivan Family Worship Center will provide somber music during the ceremony followed by uplifting words from Pastor Duncan Skiles.
“The Luminaria Ceremony should be the center of the whole Relay, really. I also like the survivor lap. It is between those two that I really enjoy. It is who it is about,” Mercer said.
Each luminaria is $5; however, this year, Relay For Life of Sullivan is selling unique purple bags for $10 and gold bags for $15 each. All sales of luminaria benefit cancer research and support programs through the American Cancer Society.
The Luminaria Ceremony is just one aspect of the Relay For Life 12-hour event. Teams of eight to 15 members gather with tents and sleeping bags to participate in the largest fundraising walk in the nation. Relay For Life unites people from all walks of life. Teams seek sponsorships prior to the Relay as well as participate in onsite fundraisers to support a cure for cancer.
Sullivan cancer survivors will kick off the Relay For Life at 6 p.m. on Aug. 13, with the official survivors’ lap followed by a second lap with the rest of the participants. Information about purchasing luminaria, forming a team or walking in the survivors’ lap is available by visiting relayforlife.org/sullivanmo.
For information on cancer, call the American Cancer Society’s 24-hour helpline at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. They save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.