By Tess Malijenovsky
The more fun you have at Relay for Life events, the more you help the American Cancer Society save lives. Relay for Life is an overnight event during which team members take turns walking around a track over night to symbolize how cancer never sleeps. It celebrates “the lives of people who have battled cancer, remembers loved ones lost and fights back against the disease.”
Beaufort’s Relay for Life teams have come up with some creative ideas to raise money this year, beginning with all-you-can-eat steamed oysters and chili for $10 at Gilligan’s Friday, March 16, from 5-8 p.m.
Also, there will be a Community Yard Sale on Saturday, March 17 at 7:30 a.m. in Gilligan’s parking lot (2601 Boundary St.). The community and all Relay teams are invited. Please bring your tables and items to sell to Gilligan’s Saturday morning. If your team cannot attend but would like to donate or collect yard sale items, please call Linda Arp (843-252-7549). She can answer all of your questions.
Break bread and dine Italian on March 30 for a spaghetti dinner at St. John’s Lutheran Church from 5-8 p.m., $10 for adults and $5 for children. The Lion’s Club, who helps visually impaired persons, is putting on the event. Their team was motivated to continue Relay for Life this year when Mandy’s mother and father, Kathy and Charles, were recently diagnosed with cancer. Members of The Lion’s Club will be bringing in each of their own homemade pasta sauces for a variety of pastas. There will also be baskets to raffle off. Call Mandy for tickets or more information (864-978-1150) or Mr. and Mrs. Holley (843-525-1513).
That same weekend on March 31, the Beaufort Belles will host “Bowl for a Cure” at Ribaut Lanes at 3 p.m., $20 for three games and shoes. The ladies will be giving away door prizes and raffles. The Beaufort Belles is a support group for women cancer survivors and their families. So take the family, your friends or a date and bowl for a great cause.
April 2 Cooter Brown Catering will host “Pasta Monday” at The Port Royal Pasta House to remember and honor Keith Cummins who passed away in February from Leukemia. Keith was a member of Cooter Brown Catering whose members are the commodores for the Beaufort Water Festival. “Pasta Monday” will be a buffet of three different delectable pasta dishes, a salad, bread and a soft drink beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets to the event are limited so hurry up and buy yours. Contact any Cooter Brown Catering member or Sherry Stacks (843-816-1888).
Sherry, or any of the other members of Cooter Brown Catering, will also be the point of reference standing between you and your smoked, boneless full Boston Butt for $20. You can’t just pick up this sort of treat any day from anywhere, and what’s more is that 100 percent of your proceeds help fund the battle against cancer and help Cooter Brown Catering meet their fundraising goal. The last day to purchase a Boston Butt is April 1, and you can pick them up April 14 from 4-6 p.m. at Gilligan’s.
Last but certainly not the final Relay for Life event, is the Poker Run on April 7 put on by the Spartina volunteers. Folks participating can start showing up around 11 a.m. at Cry Babies, but the “last out” is at 12 p.m. Players will collect a card at each of the five bars/restaurants for their poker hand. You can ride by motorcycle or cycle and can even bring a buddy. The Poker Run ends at El Torros where there will be raffle prizes as well as a prize for the best poker hand. Contact Joe Arp for more information (843-476-7400).
Linda of the Beaufort Belles has also designed T-shirts to help raise money. The shirts have Palmetto trees made with all cancer ribbon colors and say, “Life, Love, Hope in the Lowcountry”. It’s $15 for sizes S-XL and $17 for XXL-XXXL, and they can be purchased by either calling Linda or from New South Shirts.
For any Relay team looking for the right place to host a fundraiser, Gilligan’s has a large private banquet room, patio and bar. Just contact Dana at ddomino11811@yahoo.com.
We can’t always pick our battles, but we can all choose to fight.