Relay for Life Volunteers Stay Up to Fight Cancer

The Relay for Life of Montville brought together around 500 participants last night at the Montville Township High School track, as they embarked on an overnight event to raise money for the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Part of a 25-year-old ACS initiative held in more than 600 communities across 21 countries, the Montville relay is only three years old, but is already making its mark.

“It’s one of the biggest relays in northern NJ,” co-chair Sylvana Dalia said. “I think it’s because cancer’s touched a lot of people in our town. Also, I like to think that we’re a generous community.”

Dalia and co-chair Debbie Hasbrouck, both Pinebrook residents, decided to bring Relay to Life to Montville during Dalia’s personal battle with breast cancer several years ago. After her diagnosis, Hasbrouck suggested they attend the Clifton Relay for Life, which her sister had been helping with for several years.

“We never knew what it was,” Dalia said. “We were just inspired.”

After another close friend, Debra Lacy, was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer, Hasbrouck and Dalia knew they had to bring the event to Montville. When they first approached ACS with their plan, representatives told them they should just join the relay in Pequannock.

“We said no, we want to do one in our town,” Hasbrouck said. “They had to get one of their staff members to work with us, and they found somebody. I think they were very glad they did.”

That initial relay surpassed all expectations, raising $168,000 and drawing in close to 700 participants. This year, the pre-relay total was $99,517, with $30,000 to $40,000 in additional funding expected from fundraising throughout the night.

While participation seemed “kind of light” early on in the evening, Hasbrouck said she hoped more people would come out throughout the night, as a scheduled program of live music, a hypnotist, and a traditional Relay for Life luminaria ceremony helped walkers stay energized from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“The [ACS] motto is ‘Cancer doesn’t sleep,’ so for one night, neither will we,” Hasbrouck said.

For many enthusiastic volunteers, giving up a night of sleep was the easy part of the process.

“Our team, collectively, raised almost $11,000,” Terry Becker, team leader of “Cruisin’ for a Cure,” said. “That’s thanks to a lot of hard work by a lot of these people.”

Becker, a homemaker from Towaco, led eight members in community fundraising events to claim second place in money raised as a team. Additionally, she was the No. 1 individual, bringing in over $9,000. She was inspired to raise money by her father, who is in remission from esophageal cancer.

“If you’re healthy, you have to do this,” she said. “You have to give back. You have no choice.”

Roberta Ginsberg, Pinebrook resident and leader of the top fundraising team, “Rally for a Cure with Roberta,” agreed.

“We want to create a world with more birthdays,” she said. “We want to have more survivor dinners, we don’t want to have more ‘walking in memory of.’ ”

Ginsberg herself was walking in memory of her mother, Betye Wasserman, who died of lymphoma cancer 11 years ago. Her team raised over $16,000 before the relay, and was selling Rita’s ice and glow sticks at the event for additional funds.

Like the co-chairs, Ginsberg was a bit disappointed with the turn-out, but had hopes more people would come out as the night went on. In addition, she said she was inspired by how much people donated, connecting with her through social networks.

“It’s a really great experience,” she said. “I get so psyched waiting for this day to come. It’s overwhelming and it’s emotional, but it’s a lot of fun as well.”

Kristin Campilango, an ACS staff partner overseeing the event, said she sees a number of relays every year throughout northwestern New Jersey .

“This is a big one, and it’s a real community event,” she said. “Some of them are just adults, some of them are just students, but this one is a nice mix.”