Relay nets more than $719,000 for cancer
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on June 22, 2007 1:45 PM
Although it's been more than a month since Wayne County residents banded together to raise money for cancer research at the 2007 Relay for Life, money is still coming in.
At Thursday night's awards banquet, Relay organizers told volunteers they had broken another record. Donations for this year's event were tallied at $719,233.83.
Helping add to that total were the top fundraisers this year. They included the 333rd Lancers, base team, $10,700; Pine Forest United Methodist Church, church team, $21,260; Grantham School, school team, $9,765.94; and APV Heat Transfer, rookie team, $11,175.
Overall top money awards went to Wayne Memorial Hospital, first, $68,500.48; Purple Star Survivors, second, $32,582.95; Shepherd's Shockers, third, $27,390; and Cherry Hospital, fourth, $21,781.59.
Also during the awards banquet, two Spirit Awards were presented to an individual and a team who showed the most spirit during the Relay. Recpients were Nikki Veilleux and Pine Forest Church.
Two floating trophies were given to Pine Forest Church for the church raising the most money and Grantham School for the school raising the most money.
Glenn Massey received an award for helping with luminarias. His Boy Scout troop has put the luminarias out and taken them up for several years now. This year, Massey even bought a trailer to help with the disposal of the used luminarias.
Tom Jones was presented the Above and Beyond Award, a new award this year for an individual who has done a lot for the Relay. Jones has been a Relay volunteer for six years.
Awards of appreciation went to Tom Potter, Rick Davis, Jimmy Howell, Danielle Hollowell and Louis and Tammy Blanco.
Helen Harwood and Caleb Whitfield, this year's honorary chairmen for the Relay for Life, received special awards. Barbara Thornton, who recently retired from the American Cancer Society, was presented an award for coming up with Wayne County's Relay theme, "Wayne County Rocks."
Bronze level plaques were awarded to teams raising $150 to $249 per member. Recipients were Rays of Hope, Spring Creek Elementary School, Stoney Creek Free Will Baptist Church, Wayne Heart and Internal Medicine, Family Child Care at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, 3HC Kitty Askins, Eastern Aluminum Supply Inc., 4th Training Squadron and 4th EMS at Seymour Johnson AFB Salon 150.
Silver level plaques were given to teams raising $250 to $349 per member. Recipients were LRS, TA Loving Co., Mount Olive First Pentecostal Holiness Church, Darden Chapel Free Will Baptist Church, St. Paul United Methodist Church UMYF, Seymour Spouses, Grantham School, Anchor Coupling Inc. and APV Heat Transfer.
Gold level plaques were awarded to teams raising $350 to $599 per member. Recipients were Goldsboro News-Argus, Zion United Methodist Church, St. Mark Disciples Church, We Are Family, Charles B. Aycock High School, Starbucks, Wayne Women's Clinic, Salem Survivors, Wayne Radiation Oncology, Providence United Methodist Church, First Free Will Baptist Church, Sam's Club, Handy Mart, Wayne Community College, United in Christ Church, St. Luke United Methodist Church, Coker Memorial Church, First Church, Cherry Hospital, General Electric, MargaRelayville and First Baptist Church of Mount Olive.
Platinum level plaques were given to teams raising $600 to $999 per member. Recipients were Meredith Stancil Team, Walnut Creek Free Will Baptist Church, Skill Creations Inc., HOGS for Hope, Eastern Wayne Elementary School, 336th Rocketeers, Excel Home Fashions, Pines of Goldsboro, Georgia Pacific, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Purple Star Survivors, Piedmont Natural Gas, Best Grove Church, Rainbow Crusaders and Southern Wayne National Honor Society.
Diamond level plaques were presented to teams raising $1,000 to $1,999 per member. Recipients were A&K Motors, Canes For a Cure, Brogden Middle School, First Baptist Church of Goldsboro, Wal-Mart, Friends Fellowship Class, Northeast Eagles, Pine Forest Church and Shepherd's Shockers.
Purple level plaques were presented to teams raising at least $2,000 per member. Recipients were Horse 'N Around For a Cure, County of Wayne and Dudley Christian Church and Community Hospice.
Three teams were named Relay for Life National All Stars for raising $3,333 or more per member. They were Curves for Women, North Carolina Angels and Garris Chapel Church.
Relay co-chairman Mark Renfroe said there were 118 teams participating in the 2007 Relay. He praised everyone who helped saying, "You have done an awesome job."
Dr. Lee Adams, also a co-chairman, told those attending the awards banquet that the spirit of the Relay is the most rewarding thing about the event.