Lynn teams ready to Relay for Life

LYNN – The city’s eighth annual Relay for Life Walk promises to enliven the waterfront near Red Rock Park on June 4 and 5.The weekend event kicks off at 6 p.m. Friday and finishes up 12 hours later on Saturday at 6 a.m. The walk is described by organizers as the Biggest Birthday Party on the North Shore. The Relay for Life Walk for 2010 is adopting the American Cancer Society’s theme of “More Birthdays” because a world with less cancer means more survivors.The overnight family event is sponsored by Lynn Housing Authority and Neighborhood Development Executive Director Charlie Gaeta and his team of volunteers. Petunia the Clown will be on hand for face painting as part of the entertainment, along with students from the Donna Estes School of Dance who will perform Irish Step dancing. The band “Supertonic” will take the stage later in the evening.In keeping with the birthday theme, over 20 teams will compete for the best birthday cake. Mike Phelps will be auctioning the cakes though “cake Bingo” that requires a bet of $1, $2 or $5.At least 33 teams will return to participate, among them 75 cancer survivors and their families, along with hundreds of friends. Many enjoy the “Relay by the Sea” that each year includes a ceremonial lap for survivors and their family caregivers.Raffles, 50-50 prizes, music provided by disc jockeys Rich Naugle and David Nordyke, and mini-facial and foot massages by Geri Cronin of About Face will add to the night’s attractions.At 9 p.m., the evening highlight takes place with the lighting of the luminary bags, each decorated and named in memory or in honor of friends and family. Last year, over 2,000 bags lined the ocean shore and shone through the darkness while Fire and Police Department bagpipers Kevin Cronin and Ned Shinnick played their instruments.While the bagpipe music emanates along the shore, team members, relatives, friends and survivors are asked to step onto the track and walk in memory or honor of their loved ones.The luminary bags are sold at the event for $10, unless purchased beforehand from a team member for $5.Participating teams include Lynn City Hall, Lynn Police Department, Lynn Fire Department, the Coughlin Crew, AOH and LAOH Shamrocks, Tammy’s Troopers, Mom’s Cancer Fighting Angels, Lynn Public Schools We Care Walkers, Lynn Housing Authority, Anna’s Angels, Team Fennah, Pickering School, Bare Tracks, Team Julie, Supertonic, Lynn Classical High All Stars, Lynn English High, Kidney Klan, Paws 4 a Cause, Western Avenue Walgreens, Joyce Street Walgreens, Larisa’s Bumble Beelievers, Team Spin, Operation Bootstrap, Hope Crusaders, Blurred Vision, Girl Power, Just Wanna Have Fun Team, Girls Inc-Part of the Solution – Touchdown for a Cure and Homerun for a Cure, Team Pepsi, Carol’s Crew and Team Grandpa.”Cancer touches just about everyone we know and we need everyone we know to help fight back,” said City Clerk Mary Audley, who along with Janet Rowe are part of the City Hall team. For more information or to sponsor the event, contact Audley or Rowe 781-586-6726 or [email protected].