Day 39 ❦ Give hope with your gift today

Day 39 ❦ Give hope with your gift today

The Gift: A donation to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life

One more day until all hell breaks loose here...literally. It has been raining off and on and there is talk about the rains up north, but we continue to go about our day, still on edge but, because it is raining up North, actually thinking that perhaps the worst has passed us by...again. Austin resides in a big bowl like depression where 4 rivers converge. Those rivers are a big part of our history, George A. Hormel started the Hormel Foods Company in Austin because there was a very good source of ice to use to keep his meat products refrigerated...for those of you who have always known a refrigerator, ice boxes preceded those and the ice was actually harvested from the rivers and stored in large ice houses. The Cedar River produces the water, the northern climate of Minnesota produces the cold and the shallow out-cropping of Mill Pond creates a perfect place for ice to be made, harvested easily and stored locally.

Despite the rain, the American Cancer Society is going to hold its 24 hour Relay for Life down by Mill Pond which is getting really soggy. Campers and tents are sprouting up along with umbrellas, tarps and the big mobile bandshell all preparing for an overnight endurance event. The Relay for Life is a major fund-raiser for cancer research in this community. The organizer, Linda, is passionate, persistent and is the epitome of a leader. Linda is so quiet but moves mountains and really ends up creating a spectacular and moving event. This year’s event will raise over $42,000 for the American Cancer Society and I am a part of that.

I have given one of my sister’s-in-law a donation for her family team which is walking in the relay for the next 24 hours because her niece Hannah is battling her second round of cancer at 14 years of age. The family has a team and is walking in the relay as a means of supporting Hannah who is also the spokesperson for this year’s event. Just writing this tears me up. Hannah is such a beautiful and caring girl and her family is dead set on fighting right along-side her in her battles with her cancer. My sister-in-law comes from a large caring family and I can’t imagine any other group of people better suited to rally and fight together to beat cancer in such a wonderful little girl. I am proud to be supporting their team today.

❦ Give hope with your gift today.

Author’s note: (8 years later) Hannah just got married a few weekends ago surrounded by the love and care of her family that continues to sustain her.