Last modified: Saturday, June 20, 2009 11:02 PM EDT
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Cancer survivors take the traditional Relay for Life first lap around the field at Gillette Stadium Friday. About 74 teams registered for the event that began Friday at 6 p.m. and ends Saturday morning at 11 a.m. (Staff photo by Mark Stockwell)
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Relay For Life hits big leagues
BY MICHAEL GELBWASSER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
FOXBORO - The cheers at Gillette Stadium were so loud Friday night, you'd think Tom Brady had just thrown a touchdown.
Rather, the applause was for people like Plainville resident Michael Lawler, a 15-year survivor of cancer, and dozens of others.
"This is really a great experience," Lawler's son, Sean, 14, said. "It's just a great emotional experience."
Sean Lawler had just watched his father, and dozens of others, take the survivors lap during the annual Relay For Life of Greater Foxboro.
It is the first time Gillette is hosting the Foxboro relay, which had been held at the Ahern Middle School since its inception in 2004.
The 18-hour fundraiser for cancer awareness and research ends at 11 this morning.
"The excitement is incredible," said Fran Hession, who is co-chairing the event with Patti Street.
Hession said 74 teams had registered online, "and I'm guessing that we're up over 80."
Those teams set up campsites with colorful team names and colorful decor on the same Gillette turf where the New England Patriots play.
"The Mighty D's" dressed in domino masks and capes, and declared at their site that they were "Saving the world from cancer one leap at a time!"
It was the third Foxboro relay for the family team, named after Donna, Debbie and Diane Doyle, said member Jen Gillis.
"This year, we decided to find a theme we could stick with," said Gillis, who is Donna Doyle's daughter.
"We're going for 'Most Team Spirit' and 'Best Costume.'"
Mother Nature threatened to win the "Worst Weather" award.
A brief downpour shortly before the opening ceremony had participants grabbing their umbrellas.
Then the sun arrived, and brought a rainbow.
"It's all blue above us, and I'll take that as a beautiful sign that we're all together," said Fox 25 News anchor Maria Stephanos, the mistress of ceremonies. |
