Relay For Life
Beginning in 1999, the Ottawa Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society has sponsored a fundraiser called the “Relay for Life.” It involves a 12 hour team relay originally held at Lansdowne Park , and for the last few years re-located to the Nepean Sportsplex.
Those would the bare bones facts. They do not tell the whole story:
The Relay starts with a victory lap taken by cancer survivors. To see the faces of the people of many ages walk and strut their way around the track to say that cancer is a part of who they are, but not all that they are, is to witness a celebration of the human spirit at its best.
At the beginning of the evening, to see yourself as a member of your own team and no more is OK. Reality is that over the course of the night you will hear and see and meet other people and stories, which will serve to make you a part of the Relay family.
The highlight of the celebration which is the Relay for Life is the “Luminary Ceremony.” At about 10:00 pm candles are lit to honour the memory of those who are remembered and those who are supported in their journey with cancer. In an age of busyness and noise, the Luminary Ceremony is marked in deep silence and profound respect.
Every year there are people we know and love for whom cancer becomes a part of their life and death. Every person at the Relay knows at least one of those stories, and knows exactly why they are there. More information on the Relay can be found at www.cancer.ca .
The Builders Lodge has a strong commitment to engaging with the community. Members have been involved in the event since its inception and there has been a lodge team since 2001. Since then over $20,000 has been raised by the lodge and its friends to make cancer history.
Year |
Amount Raised |
2008 |
$2,400.00 |
2009 |
$2,660.00 |
2008 |
$3,130.00 |
2007 |
$2,720.00 |
2006 |
$5,020.00 |
2005 |
$5,397.00 |
2004 |
$1,947.00 |
2003 |
$1,846.00 |
2002 |
$4,410.00 |
2001 |
$1,346.00 |
Total |
$30,876.00 |
Relay for Life 2009
Relay for Life 2008
Relay for Life 2007
Thank you to all who participated in this year’s Relay For Life. There was great support from members and spouses – those who came out and walked and those who came out and provided moral support.
I think what Gordon Roberts said last year applies this time, the weather last Friday night will be the stuff of myth and legend! While it didn’t rain all night, at the start we were half-expecting to see a tornado come around the corner of our tent! That being said, people took it in stride and made it through the night.
This year we had almost 160 teams of 10-12 people and over 300 volunteers all working hard to make this event the best ever.
The Survivor Victory Lap had between 200 and 300 cancer survivors to demonstrate to us the courage they have, the hope we all have and the progress we have made.
The Luminary Ceremony reminded us why we would want to do this, spend a year organizing this event, ask our friends and colleagues for their tangible support in terms of pledges or purchasing luminaries, organize ourselves to walk and/or run for 12 hours through the night, and cheer our and other team members on with crazy antics.
You were instrumental in The Builders Lodge team raising over $2,500 dollars to go toward cancer research, patient services and cancer prevention. And your commitment and dedication was instrumental in the overall Relay for Life event raising an incredible amount of money and awareness.
This year over $586,000 was raised!!!! With pledges still to come it we should break $600,000!
Thank you again for your real and tangible support.
With energy and involvement from everyone, next year will be even better! Plan to be a part of it.
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Relay for Life 2006
The Relay for Life is a deeply personal evening. Sometimes the weather is great; sometimes it's hot and sticky. Rarely has it been cold and wet. In 2006 the rain came and the wind blew straight out of the north. We pitched our tent in the assigned area. We pitched our tarp in the rain. One of the spouses arrived in the wind and the rain with a thermos of coffee and some sweetener. The coffee tasted great, the fellowship was almost enough to counter the impact of the rain and the family contribution and support was far beyond the call of duty.
Members of The Builders Lodge Relay team getting shelter from the rain.
The photo below shows Bro. Jim White making his victory lap.
Linda Keech, wife of VW Bro Wayne Keech, is providing moral support to the teams.
HOPE - This is a key sentiment that all the participants feel throughout the whole Relay for Life.
In order to encourage other lodges to participate in the Relay for Life and make cancer history The Builders Lodge donated a trophy - The Builders Cup. It has encouraged friendly competition at the Relay and there is option a strong masonic contingent participating.
Come and join us in an extraordinary evening of celebrating the human spirit at it's finest, and at the same time help to raise some money to help make cancer a thing of the past.
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