BRUNSWICK, Ohio --- Since taking up running as a serious vocation several years ago, Northfield resident Kevin Horrigan has focused most of his attention on races far longer than the St. Ambrose 5 K Run for the Relay. The 9th annual event, however,has become the most important race of the year for him.
Dripping sweat at the end of this year's run June 4, Horrigan laughed, "I'm used to the long ones; this is like a sprint."
His pink breast-cancer awareness T-shirt, however, brought the far bigger challenge the race represents into sharp focus.
"My wife, Susan, is in year three (of remission)," said Horrigan, who attended the race with his daughter, Taylor. "You just don't know who it will pick on."
The Horrigans' friends, Brigett and Chris Gerber, of Brunswick, have been coming to the Run for the Relay for the past eight years.
"The first year I did it, my daughter was in Kindergarten and her teacher died of cancer," Brigett Gerber said.
Dual purpose
The Run for the Relay 5 K and one-mile fun run is a fundraiser for the St. Ambrose Relay for Life Team, Star4Life, that also gives proceeds directly to the American Cancer Society and Holy Family Cancer Home in Cleveland.
"Last year we were able to give $10,000 to the American Cancer Society and $750 to Holy Family Cancer Home," said Star4Life co-captain, Linda Ross.
Her team co-captain, Shari Whisler, said the goal of the event - and the mission of all of the organizers - is really quite simple.
"We are able to help, so we should," Whisler said. "We do this for the people who can't. I don't know what it is like to go through; I've been blessed. But it is important that those who can do show up."
Ross echoed that sentiment.
"I have MS, but MS does not kill," she said. "That is what I want to be able to say about cancer."
More than money
While participation numbers were down somewhat this year, with just under 200 runners, Whisler said the $10,000 annual goal was still within reach, with donations still coming in three days after Run for the Relay.
"I think people were pulled in a lot of different directions this year, with a lot of worthy causes to support," she said. "But that is not the only reason we do it. It is also to raise awareness and help by doing something for each other."
The spirit of that sentiment could not have been better expressed than when top runner Tim Bizon picked a Pandora bracelet, donated by Wiant Jewelers, as his prize - then gave it to his mother, whose birthday was the next day.
In turn, knowing that third-place runner, Abby Kraft, had been eyeing the bracelet earlier, Bizon's mother later re-gifted it to Kraft when it was her turn to select a prize.
Brunswick Relay Awards
Meanwhile, the Brunswick Relay for Life 2016 was held May 28, at Brunswick High School.
Brunswick Relay for Life 2016 award winners were: Most Money Raised by a Large Team, Step By Step; Most Money Raised by Small Team, MCDL Dewey Decimators; Most Money Raised by Youth Team, Kidder Elementary; Most Money Raised by New Team, Wildtree; Most Money Raised Online by a Team, All Night For the Fight; Judge's Choice Pizza Challenge Champion, Georgio's; and People's Choice Pizza Challenge Champion, Dominio's
Other awards included Best Team Banner, Carpe Diem; Best Decorated Campsite, Team BFAB; Best Food at a Team Booth, Resonation; Best Theme, Giant Eagle; Best Team Spirit, Cleveland Clinic Healthonators; Best Health Promotion, Wildtree; Best Mission Delivery, Brunswick Eagles #3505; Best Decorated Luminaries, All Night For the Fight; Last Campsite Standing, Cleveland Clinic Healthonators.
Purple Triscuits was named Relay Trivia Champion; Relay Olympics Champion went to Step By Step; and the Themed Laps Champion was Kidder Elementary.
Finally, the Celebrate Award for the team with most survivors, the Remember Award for the team with the most luminaries, and the Fight Back award, for the team with the most members at closing ceremonies, all went to St. Ambrose.