Relay for Life Newsletter, May 15, 2023
Campsite Set Up
Those who are setting up a campsite should plan on getting to River Bends at least a few hours before the 11:00 start time. I suggest between 8:00 and 9:00 depending on how elaborate your set up is. All vehicles will be cleared from the track at 10:30. We will talk about this more at the May 18 meeting.
Tell your Teams and Guests the 3 Rules for Relay
- No pets. Registered service animals allowed
- No wheels (bikes, skateboards, rollerblades) on the track (strollers, wagons, and wheelchairs are allowed)
- No smoking, vaping, or alcohol at Relay
Those who break the rules may be asked to leave the track or leave the event and no one wants that!
Theme Laps, and Donation Prizes
Our wonderful, fun team of high school volunteers are bringing back theme laps this year. There will be an assortment of competitions and games between 4:00 and 6:00 to keep everyone on the track and energized! There will be $1000 in prizes that will be added to the winning teams’ donations. The activities in no particular order:
- Hula Hooping: The first 10 people who sign up Saturday will take the stage and Hula Hoop as long as they can. Longest time wins $150 toward their team’s fundraising, second place wins $50
- Scrabble: This is a timed activity. Up to 10 teams of three walk the track (no running) for 15 minutes and pick up a letter every lap. After the time is up, the teams have three minutes to form as many words (no proper nouns) as they can. The team with the highest number of points wins $150 for their team, second place wins $50.
- Red Light / Green Light: The first 20 people who sign up will be given a number and a place on the track. Everyone can go on the Green Light (no running) and must freeze on Red Light. If you are caught moving on Red Light, you must go back to the starting line. First person to make it to the finish line wins $150 for their team’s fundraising, and second place wins $50.
- Sponge Race: Up to 10 teams of three will be be given sponges and will fill their sponges at the starting line, walk around the track (no running), squeeze the water into their team’s jar and repeat the process. The first team to fill their jar to the line on the side wins $150 for their team and the second place team wins $50.
- Cotton ball endurance race: The first 20 people who sign up will be given some Vaseline to put on the tip of their nose and a cotton ball top put on the Vaseline. Everyone will walk the track, not touching their cotton balls and the person who lasts the longest wins $150 for their team, and second place wins $50.
BONUS ACTIVITY – SIDEWALK CHALK: Teams of three will decorate the track with their best “Off to the Races” art work. Bring your sidewalk chalk, sign your group up to participate, and at four o’clock our judges will announce the winners in four categories: Most Colorful, Most Creative, Best Use of Color, and Best Race Theme. The winning teams will each win a LOADED MILKSHAKE from our ice cream food truck.
There’s Always Room for More Survivors!
If you know a survivor (or are a survivor), call 1-800-277-2345 to sign up. Your survivor needs to tell the the person answering the phone that they are signing up for Relay for Life of Greater Shelby Township. The ACS operator at that number will make sure they will be signed up for a shirt, a chance to take a survivor lap, and have a lunch at Relay! You can also go to the event website to register a survivor: Relay for Life of Greater Shelby Township. Let’s build our survivor community! Survivors can sign up at any time – even the day of the event to participate. They will also get a shirt but since they are mailed they will get theirs after the event.
May 20 Schedule
11:00 – Opening Ceremony
11:30 – Survivor Ceremony
12:00 – Survivor Luncheon
12:00 – Jazzercise
12:30 – Silent Auction Opens
2:00 – Live Music by Sound Station
4:00 – Theme Laps for Prizes
4:30 – Silent Auction Ends
6:00 – Zumba
7:00 – Gonna Cost You Karaoke (Pay to sing!)
10:00 – Luminaria Ceremony
10:45 – Closing Ceremony
11:00 – Clean up and Leave
What to do with your donations
If you have donations you would like to have deposited and credited to your team, you have two options. First you can download the ACS FUNdraising app from the app store and make electronic deposits there. You can deposit checks (made out to the American Cancer Society) or from debit cards using your camera in the app. This is super easy, fast, and secure. If you have cash you can deposit it to your checking account and write your own personal check (made out to the American Cancer Society) and deposit it via the app as well. Second, you can bring your cash or checks to the team leader meeting on May 18 (details below). We will also have designated “Registration” times at our event on May 20 and you can drop off cash and checks then also.
Food Truck News
Detroit Panzerotti Company and Sucree (French for Sweet) will be serving up all sorts of delicious treats from 12:00 to 7:00 this year. They will have a wide range of Italian treats and street food as well as frozen sweet treats and loaded milkshakes. So many delicacies!
2023 Meeting Schedule:
Where: Shelby Township Activities Center – 14975 21 Mile Rd, Shelby Twp.
Who: Event Leadership Team (ELT) meets at 6:00 / Team Leads and Volunteers meet at 7:00 (but are welcome to the ELT meeting if they are interested)
When: Thursday May 18 (Bank night)
Event Details
The 2023 Relay for Life of Greater Shelby Township
Saturday May 20, 11am – 11pm