Time is quickly winding down and Oakdale’s 10th annual Relay For Life is fast approaching.
To get ready for the signature fundraising event of the American Cancer Society, a special ‘Fiesta Birthday Celebration’ is planned at the Oakdale Family Church of the Nazarene on West F Street on Saturday, April 2 to celebrate cancer survivors and salute their families and caregivers.
This year’s Survivor Committee chairperson for the Oakdale relay, Stevie Cordoza, said the afternoon luncheon is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the church and will include make your own burritos, beverages, a special program, information about the survivor activities at the April 16 and 17 Relay For Life at Oakdale High School and some special guest speakers.
There will also be musical entertainment and recognition for the caregivers.
“They are such a huge part of why we Relay, they really are the reason,” Cordoza said of survivors, who are the special VIPs at the Relay itself.
This year’s theme for Relay For Life is ‘Celebrating More Birthdays’ and the Saturday luncheon will highlight that fact.
“They will also get their shirts, their VIP parking passes, all the information they will need the day of Relay,” Cordoza added of what cancer survivors will receive at the luncheon.
She is hoping to feed over 100 survivors, caregivers and family members and planned for 200 to be on the safe side. RSVPs can still be made for the weekend celebration by calling 848-2852.
“We’ve had a good amount already,” Cordoza said of receiving RSVPs.
The Fiesta Birthday Celebration for survivors is just one of many events leading up to the relay weekend. Also going on Saturday — at a few sites around town — are Relay For Life yard and garage sales while efforts on Friday, April 8 will focus on ‘painting the town purple’ to highlight the upcoming event. That is also the start of Oakdale Rodeo weekend and Relay For Life will have an entry in the Saturday, April 9 downtown rodeo parade.
Painting the town purple sees volunteers putting Relay designs on downtown business windows, tying purple ribbons on light poles and generally helping the community get into the Relay spirit.
