2012 RFL High Plains Leadership Summit
General Session Script
RED: Emcees (Wade, Susan)
PURPLE: VOG (Yisa)
GREEN: Production
PINK: Lighting
ORANGE: Sound
BLUE: Power Point, Video, IMAG
FRIDAY (7:30PM – 9:00PM)
GENERAL SESSION 4
7:07PM – 7:20PM (GS 4 Music)
7:20PM
HOUSE: Full
STAGE: Half
SET: Full
-
Doors open
General session presenters mic’d and backstage
Susan and Wade with wireless lavs
HOPE Ceremony screen up
7:25PM
HOUSE: Full
STAGE: Half
SET: Full
- Turn down music as VOG talks over
VOG:
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Ladies and gentlemen, please find your seats. We will begin our
Hope Ceremony and Awards presentations in five minutes.
7:30PM
HOUSE: Dark
STAGE: Full
SET: Full
- Susan and Wade enter
- IMAG emcees
SUSAN
Welcome to our Friday evening general session. It’s a very
special session because it’s reserved for reflecting on the reasons
we so passionately fight cancer each day… and because we will
spend time later this evening celebrating the accomplishments
that all of you have achieved in the past year as you’ve raised
funds and awareness through your Relay For Life events.
WADE
During this first portion of our presentation, which we
affectionately call the “Hope Ceremony”, we encourage you to
take a few moments to think about the loved ones for which you
Relay. Some may be with you today – in this room or at home and what a thing to celebrate! Fortunately through work that you
make possible and because of the HOPE that you inspire through
your tireless work with the American Cancer Society, more and
more of your loved ones have fought cancer triumphantly…
SUSAN
Still, some of your loved ones may be with you today only in spirit.
And we encourage you to celebrate them, too. Celebrate their
memories. Celebrate the time you had together and let your
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recollections continue to inspire you to fight this disease until we
can finally say that cancer is no longer the demon we once knew.
[Pause]
WADE
You’ll find on the floor under your seat a votive candle… And
dispersed throughout the crowd are black markers for you to
share. Please take a moment during the remainder of our Hope
Ceremony to contemplate what inspires you to Hope Big and
Dream Big… What inspires you to give so much of yourself to the
fight against cancer through Relay For Life… Then write it on
your votive.
SUSAN
We hope you’ll take the votive home with you tomorrow and that it
will remind you to never give up on the power of hoping and
dreaming and Relaying big…
- Yisa enters stage and moves to runway area, sings “I’m
Gonna Love You Through It”
- Emcees remain on stage signing their votives, then
proceed offstage to light the first candle in every row of
seats
- Volunteers light outside rows, as well
- Attendees pass the candlelight throughout the room by
end of song (outside working in)
- As song ends, emcees return to stage
SUSAN
Thank you so much, Yisa, for such a lovely song.
WADE
[To audience]
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Please go ahead and extinguish your candles now as we move
into our next presentation. Thank you.
- Emcees exit stage
7:35PM
HOUSE: Dark
STAGE: Full
SET: Full
- Actors enter and present 10 minute drama
- Music starts at beginning of drama from Garrison’s iPad
& is timed out with the acting
- IMAG actors
Cancer Drama
- Music cue (from Garrison’s iPad)
 Main Actor (Cancer Patient) sits on stage appearing
extremely nervous.
 Doctor approaches and patient stands and meets him/her
with a handshake.
 Doctor tells the patient that he has been diagnosed with
cancer and the patient, in disbelief, sits back down in the
seat as the doctor attempts to comfort him/her.
 Main Actor freezes until “Hero” begins to play.
 During this part of the Drama the Three “Cancers” (people in
black) have placed themselves hiding in the audience.
 After two 8 counts of “Hero”, the cancers pop up from their
positions and begin to creep up to the stage where the main
actor is frantically trying to figure out what is coming for him.
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 Once the cancers have surrounded the patient, and the
words of the song begin to play, the cancers freeze, and the
patient mouths the first verse of the song, talking to the
audience.
 When the chorus begins to play, the cancers come back to
life and actually beat up the patient. They throw the patient
to the ground as the patient continually tries to get back up
and fight, but there is no hope.
 For the entire drama the main actor has been wearing a
white shirt. On this first chorus as the cancers beat him; they
rip the white shirt off revealing a black shirt.
 When the end of the first chorus approaches the cancers
take the patient back to the chair that is center stage and sit
him/her down in it.
 When the second verse of “Hero” comes on, the cancers
once again freeze and the patient comes out of the chair to
mouth the words of the second verse to the audience.
 Also during this second verse, 8 caregivers enter the back of
the stage, watching the patient going through cancer, and
wondering how they can help.
 When the 2nd Chorus comes on, one of the cancers grabs
the patient and once again throws him on the ground, picks
him back up, and drags him/her to center stage (controlling
him/her). While this goes on the other two cancers go to get
their signs.
 While the patient is getting thrown, one of the cancers
begins showing the first sign, and then the other cancer
shows a second sign. At certain beats of the song (see
video) the cloth signs that have been shown to the audience
are thrown onto the patient.
 Then, once again, the same to cancers grab two more signs
and, one at a time, show the audience them, and once
again, at certain beats of the song throw them onto the
cancer patient.
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 The signs read, “Fear” “Pain” “Depression” and “
Hopelessness“
 After the last two signs are thrown onto the patient the three
cancers form a circle around him/her and clasp hands,
trapping the patient.
 The patient tries to escape, but cannot, reaching out to the
audience.
 After the patient tries to escape, and reaches out 5 times…
the Caregivers step in and break the circle, and the patient
falls to the ground.
 The Caregivers the form and arch around the patients limp
body, and fight off the cancer’s who continually try to get to
the patient.
 At a certain beat in the song (see video) the cancers all fall.
 Then the third song comes on. There are 4 signs, two
caregivers to each sign. The signs read, “Faith” “Research”
“Relay” and “HOPE”.
 During the first verse of the song, two caregivers show the
sign “Research” to the audience and then place it over the
patient’s body, and stand behind him/her.
 During the Second Verse the sign, “Faith,” is shown and
placed on the body.
 During the Chorus the sign, “Relay,” is shown and placed on
the body.
 Then during the third verse the sign, “HOPE,” is shown and
placed on the body.
 Then the patient wakes up and the 8 caregivers help him up.
 After the patient is on his/her feet, the caregivers take off his
black shirt, revealing a SURVIVORS shirt.
 The Patient then hugs each caregiver, then the all hold
hands, walk to the front of the stage, and lift hands in
rejoicing.
[Applause]
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7:45PM
HOUSE: Half
STAGE: Full
SET: Full
- Emcees enter while actors are still on stage
- IMAG emcees & actors
WADE
Wow! Let’s hear it for our drama team!
[Applause]
SUSAN
These are Relayers turned amateur actors from the West Texas
Region who volunteered to be a part of this dramatic skit! Great
job, guys!
[Applause]
WADE
And a huge thank you goes out to the creator and director of this
skit, Garrison Myers! Garrison is a 2011 Caregiver Hero of Hope
from West Texas… Thank you, Garrison!
[Final applause]
- Actors exit
- Steve and Mike mic’d backstage
SUSAN
Well it’s hard to follow that, but we’ll do our best…
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It’s time to turn our attention now to one of my favorite parts of
Relay Summit each year – the celebration of Relay For Life
achievements! We have many awards to hand out tonight, and
we’ll begin the presentations shortly.
- PPT: Steve & Mike intro slide
But first, please welcome to the stage Executive Vice President,
American Cancer Society Inc., Mike Dany, and Chief Staff Officer
of Community Development, Steve Zamzow to recognize our
National Relay Partners.
-
Music Cue (Sexy & I Know It) :15
Steve and Mike enter with NTP
IMAG Mike for presentation
Mike speaks, Steve distributes awards at back of stage
MIKE
[NRP Presentation]
-
Mike & Steve remain onstage for next presentation
Susan & Wade mic’d backstage
IMAG Steve
Steve speaks, Mike distributes award at back of stage
STEVE
[Special Presentation]
-
Steve & Mike exit
Susan & Wade enter
Bridgett M. & DeeJo ready backstage
IMAG emcees
SUSAN
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Such amazing accomplishments by our new Hall of Famer…
Congratulations again!
[Final applause]
WADE
Now we’re ready to forge ahead with our awards ceremony!
SUSAN
The moment you’ve all been waiting for!
WADE
During our awards ceremony tonight, we will be celebrating some
of the top fundraisers and events of 2012. All fundraising is so
very important, and we are proud of all of you for the hard work
that you do year in and year out. EVERY dollar you raise is a
dollar that is used to help people get well, to help people stay
well, to help find cures, and to FIGHT BACK against this disease!
SUSAN
Before we dive into the actual awards presentations, remember
that we’re doing everything BIG this year… so if your event wins
an award, we want you to CELEBRATE BIG! Jump up! Hoot and
holler! Then come up on stage so we can congratulate you on
your accomplishments – and don’t forget to bring your staff
partner, too! After you’re finished on stage, you can proceed to
our photo area to have your picture taken with all the Big Guys –
Steve and Mike and Randy – the leaders of our High Plains
Division!
WADE
Now let’s practice celebrating a little – well, without coming up on
stage – but all the other stuff!
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If your Relay event GREW this year and made more money in
2012 than in 2011, stand up!
[STANDING, CHEERING]
CONGRATULATIONS! Fundraising today isn’t easy, and you’ve
risen to the challenge!
SUSAN
Okay you can go ahead and sit… Now, if you think your event
has what it takes to grow NEXT YEAR, stand up!
[STANDING, CHEERING]
That’s just the spirit we’re looking for! Now you can sit down.
WADE
And if you’re in the Hawaii-Pacific Region, please jump on up!
[STANDING, CHEERING]
The Hawaii-Pacific Region led the High Plains Division in regional
Relay growth this year! CONGRATULATIONS!
Now you can go ahead and sit down…
SUSAN
You all seem to have the standing and cheering thing down, so I
think that means we’re ready to go! Just remember that if you win
an award tonight, we also want you to come up on stage…
WADE
Our only exception to that…
[Sarcasm]
10
Right? There’s always an exception.
Our only exception is for the 5 Star Relay events. Those will be
announced throughout the night and we want you to stand at your
seat to be recognized, and then at the end of the Awards
Ceremony we’re going to ask ALL of the 5 Star events to come up
on stage for some celebration and photo opps!
SUSAN
And now that we’ve explained the logistics for tonight, let’s get to
our first set of awards! Please welcome to the stage the Regional
Council Chair for the Kansas City Western Missouri Region,
DeeJo Miller, and Regional Vice President, Bridgett Myers!
-
Music Cue (Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall) :15
Emcees exit
Bridgett & DeeJo enter
Craig B., Mat, and Delilah ready backstage
PPT: Bridgett & DeeJo intro slide
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
BRIDGETT
Good evening. We are very proud to kick off tonight’s awards
presentations by announcing the Relay events in the Kansas
City/Western Missouri Region that accomplished the Five Star
Relay Challenge this past year. In order to receive Five Star
recognition, these events had to meet several criteria in order to
earn a star for each of the “5 D’s”.
- PPT: 5 Star Relay criteria slide
DEEJO
These criteria included:
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Recruiting and training core committee members to earn the
“Leadership Development” star
Featuring a minimum of six branding points at the Relay For Life
event to earn the “Event Development” star.
BRIDGETT
Achieving an increase in total teams and participants registered
for Relay in 2012 when compared to 2011. That earned events
the “Team Development” star.
Increasing the number of registered Survivors involved with the
event to earn the “Survivorship Development” star.
DEEJO
And last but not least, achieving an increase in the event’s overall
NET revenue in order to earn the “Fundraising Development” star.
BRIDGETT
Needless to say, earning Five Star recognition is NOT an easy
feat. Congratulations to all of our Kansas City Western Missouri
Five Star events, and if you would please stand at your seat as
we announce your Relay, that would be great!
- PPT: KC/WMO 5 Star Relays
Relay For Life of Blue Valley Youth
Relay For Life of Dallas County
Relay For Life of Grundy County
Relay For Life of Leavenworth
Relay For Life of Liberty
Relay For Life of MSU - All Collegiate
- PPT: KC/WMO 5 Star Relays 2
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Relay For Life of Overland Park/Leawood
Relay For Life of Putnam County
Relay For Life of Strafford
Relay For Life of UMKC & Rockhurst
- IMAG presenters
DEEJO
Congratulations again to all of our Five Star Relays!
We would now like to begin presenting the High Plains Division
Per Capita Awards. These Per Capita awards are given to Relay
events in a number of different population buckets that raise the
most money per capita compared with events taking place in
other communities similar in size.
- PPT: Pop bucket 0 – 9,999
BRIDGETT
We will start with events taking place in communities with up to
9,999 people, also known as the 0 – 9,999 population bucket.
The number one county in this population bucket raised $20.57
per capita… The winner is… Motley County, Texas!
[Applause]
Congratulations to the volunteers from Motley, Texas! Please
come join us on stage to receive your award.
Also, honorable mention goes to the second and third place
counties in this population bucket, as you see on the screen:
Rush County, Kansas and Stanton County, Kansas!
- PPT: Pop bucket 10,000 – 14,999
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DEEJO
In the 10,000 to 14,999 population bucket, the top community
raised $5.90 per capita… Join me in congratulating Jackson
County, Texas from the South Central Texas Region! Come on
up!
[Applause]
In second place was Noble County, Oklahoma at $5.72 per cap
and in third place was Reeves County, Texas at $5.60 per cap!
Great job!
- PPT: Pop bucket 15,000 – 19,999
BRIDGETT
Next we honor the top event in the 15,000 – 19,999 population
bucket. This county raised $7.53 per cap this past year. From
the South Central Texas Region again, the winner is Karnes
County, Texas!
[Applause]
Close behind was Young County, Texas in second place and
Lavaca County, Texas in third.
- PPT: Pop bucket 20,000 – 24,999
DEEJO
And now, the final award Bridgett and I will be presenting tonight
is the Per Capita award for the 20,000 – 24,999 population
bucket. Raising $5.44 per capita this year, the number one
county is Fayette County, Texas – congratulations!
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[Applause]
And as you see on the screens, the second place county was
Willacy County, Texas raising $5.17 and in third place was
Colorado County, Texas raising $4.59.
- IMAG all award winners on stage
BRIDGETT
Let’s give all of these award winners a round of applause for their
outstanding work!
- Presenters usher award winners off stage
- PPT: Intro slide for EMO Region
VOG
Thank you, Kansas City Western Missouri Region! Now, to
present our next set of awards, please welcome to the stage from
the Eastern Missouri Region, Regional Council Chairs, Mat Holt
and Delilah Morkisz, and Regional Vice President, Craig Boring!
-
Music Cue (Undisclosed Desires) :15
Craig, Mat, & Delilah enter
Wade & Susan ready backstage
IMAG as presenters reach podium
CRAIG
Picking up where Bridgett and DeeJo left off, we’ll be presenting
several Per Capita awards, as well. But first, we’d like to
recognize the Five Star Relay For Life events from our Eastern
Missouri Region. Please stand at your seat as we recognize your
event.
- PPT: Five Star events EMO
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MAT
Relay For Life of Centralia
Relay For Life of Clark County
Relay For Life of Owensville
Relay For Life of Shelby County
Relay For Life of Stoddard County
Relay For Life of Warren County
- IMAG presenters
DELILAH
Congratulations to all of these events! Let’s give them a hand!
[Applause]
- PPT: 25,000 – 29,999 pop bucket
Now on to more Per Capita awards! We’re now recognizing the
top fundraising county in the 25,000 – 29,999 population bucket.
Congratulations to Austin County, Texas! Please join us on
stage!
[Applause]
This county raised $5.39 per capita to take the number one spot.
Honorable mention goes to the second and third place counties,
Barton County, Kansas and Shelby County, Texas.
- PPT: 30,000 – 34,999 pop bucket
CRAIG
Next is the 30,000 to 34,999 population bucket, and the top
community for this category raised $5.95 per capita…
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From the Nebraska Region, the winner is Madison County,
Nebraska!
[Applause]
Coming in close behind is the second place county, Howard
County, Texas, and the third place county, Kleberg County,
Texas.
- PPT: 35,000 – 39,999 pop bucket
MAT
In the 35,000 to 39,999 population bucket, the number one
fundraising community raised $3.45 per person in the county,
actually tying the next best event… However, in the end, this
community raised more money than the runner up…
Let’s hear it for the winner… Pontotoc County, Oklahoma!
[Applause]
The second place event, Dodge County, Nebraska, also raised
$3.45 and the third place team, Cooke County, Texas, raised
$3.25 – congratulations to those great accomplishments, as well.
- PPT: 40,000 – 49,999 pop bucket
DELILAH
And to finish up our awards segment, we’ll present the per capita
award for the 40,000 to 49,999 population bucket…
Congratulations to Cherokee County, Texas, number one in this
population bucket with a per capita total of $6.90 per person!
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[Applause]
Special recognition also goes to the runners up – in second place,
Polk County, Texas, and in third place, Stephens County, OK.
- IMAG presenters and award winners
CRAIG
Let’s hear it one more time for these award winners! Excellent
work, everyone!
-
Presenters usher award winners off stage
Wade and Susan return to stage
Joy K & Mary Foerster ready backstage
IMAG emcees as they arrive on stage
WADE
[Applauding as he and Susan enter stage; then turn to audience]
So how is everyone doing? Hanging in there? I hope so because
we have lots more awards to present!
SUSAN
We figure every couple of awards segments, Wade and I will
come back onstage for just a minute or two to stretch y’all out –
keep you limber for the dance party after this session!
- Music Cue (Gangnam Style – start at 1:06) :10
- Wade dances, Susan watches
WADE
[When music stops]
What?! It’s my favorite dance!
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Anyway, we’re going to keep you all limber AND recognize some
of you for your amazing accomplishments this year – all at the
same time! You ready?
Let’s talk dogs! If your event hosted a Bark For Life event this
year, stand up and let’s hear ya!
- Music Cue (Who Let The Dogs Out) :10
[Applause]
SUSAN
Awesome! Bark For Life is a very popular event that supplements
your Relay For Life event income, and you’ll learn more about it
tomorrow. Props to these events, though, for already jumping on
the Bark For Life bandwagon!
WADE
Okay all of you can sit down now so we can recognize some other
awesome Relayers!
If you were part of a Relay For Life team that raised $10,000 or
more this past year, please stand up!
[Applause]
This year in the High Plains Division, 477 teams raised more than
$10,000. Added together they accounted for more than
$7,880,163 in fundraising this year! Pretty dang awesome!
SUSAN
Okay take a seat and let’s get back to the awards presentations,
shall we? Join me in welcoming to the stage, from the Nebraska
Region, Regional Council Training Chair, Mary Foerster, and
Regional Vice President, Joy King!
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-
Music Cue (Strings) :15
PPT: Intro slide Nebraska
Joy K & Mary F. enter
Wade and Susan exit
Lane M & Jamie M. ready backstage
IMAG presenters as they arrive at podium
JOY
At this time, we are excited to recognize the Five Star Relay
events from our Nebraska Region. Please stand at your seat
when we call your event’s name.
- PPT: Five Star events Nebraska
MARY
Relay For Life of Burt County Area
Relay For Life of Cherry County
Relay For Life of Hall County
Relay For Life of Kearney County
Relay For Life of Phelps County
Relay For Life of Seward County
Congratulations to these events!
[Applause]
- IMAG presenters
JOY
Now we get to announce a fun award! We’ll be presenting the All
American Awards to events that have demonstrated event growth
and successful implementation of the 5 D’s.
MARY
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Last month, Relay For Life staff were asked to nominate events
for this very special recognition. Then the winning events, which
we are about to share with you, were selected by an awards
review committee.
Of the more than 600 Relay For Life events in the High Plains
Division, 27 have been named All American Relay For Life
events! These events’ nomination packets have now been
forwarded to the national level, and we will soon find out which of
our High Plains All American events will be named National All
American events, as well!
- PPT: All American award winners
- All American award winners will stay on stage
JOY
In the High Plains Division, we are proud to announce the
following events as All American award winners for 2012. When
your event’s name is called, please join us on stage.
Relay For Life of Adair County, MO
Relay For Life of Augusta, KS
Relay For Life of Barber County, KS
Relay For Life of Blaine County, OK
Relay For Life of Baylor, TX
Relay For Life of Cherokee County, TX
- PPT: All American award winners 2
Relay For Life of Cushing, OK
Relay For Life of Custer County, OK
Relay For Life of Ector County, TX
Relay For Life of Greenwood County, KS
Relay For Life of Hill County, TX
Relay For Life of Hockley, TX
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- PPT: All American award winners 3
Relay For Life of Highway 70, TX
Relay For Life of Lamb County, TX
Relay For Life of Leavenworth County, KS
Relay For Life of Major County, OK
Relay For Life of Muskogee, OK
Relay For Life of Nacogdoches, TX
- PPT: All American award winners 4
Relay For Life of Neosho County, KS
Relay For Life of the University of Oklahoma
Relay For Life of San Augustine County, TX
Relay For Life of Sapulpa, OK
Relay For Life of Stillwater, OK
Relay For Life of Sumner County, KS
- PPT: All American award winners 5
Relay For Life of Tecumseh, OK
Relay For Life of Tulsa, OK
Relay For Life of Wilson County, TX
- All American award winners exit & shake hands with
RAT Co-chairs as they leave
- IMAG presenters
MARY
Now, we switch gears and focus on new Relay For Life events…
This year in our division, 16 new events were started in 2012. Of
these first year events, we will recognize the top fundraising youth
event and the top fundraising community event.
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- PPT: Rookie Event Awards: Youth
JOY
Youth events first… This new Relay raised $29,944 in 2012,
making it the top Rookie youth or collegiate event in the High
Plains Division. Let’s hear it for the Relay For Life of Centralia
High School in Boone, Missouri! Come on up!
[Applause]
This first year community event raised $74,544 in 2012 to capture
this year’s Rookie event award for our division… It’s the Relay
For Life of Olney, Texas!
[Applause]
- IMAG presenters and winners
MARY
Congratulations to our two Rookie event award winners! It’s not
easy starting up a new Relay For Life event, and these volunteers
and staff did a fantastic job – thank you for your hard work!
[Applause]
- Joy and Mary exit with award winners
- PPT: Intro slide SCTX Region
VOG
Our next set of awards will be presented by the South Central
Texas Region. Join me in welcoming to the stage, Summit
Workgroup Member, Jamie Moon, and Regional Vice President,
Lane Moore!
- Music Cue (Radar) :14
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- Lane M. & Jamie enter
- Wade and Susan ready backstage
- IMAG presenters as they arrive at podium
LANE
We’ll start off as the other regions have by honoring our Five Star
Relay For Life events first. Again, if your event is called, we invite
you to stand at your seat to be recognized.
- PPT: Five Star events SCTX
Relay For Life of Aransas Pass/Ingleside
Relay For Life of Baylor University
Relay For Life of Colorado County
Relay For Life of Downtown Corpus Christi
Relay For Life of Dripping Springs
Relay For Life of Duval County
Relay For Life of East Austin
- PPT: Five Star events SCTX 2
Relay For Life of East Central ISD
Relay For Life of Gatesville
Relay For Life of Gonzales County
Relay For Life of Guadalupe County
Relay For Life of Lampasas County
Relay for Life of Lee County
- PPT: Five Star events SCTX 3
Relay For Life of Medina County
Relay For Life of Odem-Sinton-Taft
Relay For Life of Round Rock
Relay For Life of San Antonio at TV
Relay For Life of San Saba County
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- PPT: Five Star events SCTX 4
Relay For Life of Southern Fayette County
Relay For Life of St. Edward's University
Relay For Life of Wilson County
JAMIE
Congratulations to these events! You can go ahead and have a
seat.
- IMAG presenters
[Pause]
Now we have the great privilege of presenting the Terry Zahn
Award, which recognizes an event that demonstrates outstanding
success in marketing and communications.
Terry Zahn was a member of the Relay For Life Executive Team,
and a member of the Relay For life National Marketing Task
Force. He produced the first National Relay For Life recruiting
videos and was responsible through those tools for recruiting
more Relay For Life teams that any other person in the history of
Relay. Professionally, Terry was a longtime TV anchor and
reporter, nationally recognized as one of the best in the business.
LANE
Sadly, Terry died in January of 2000 from a recurrence of multiple
myeloma, a form of bone cancer very difficult to eradicate. It is in
his memory that this award is given to an event for demonstrating
best practices in marketing, communications, and publicity.
JAMIE
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This year, the Terry Zahn Award is presented to an event that
incorporated a well-rounded PR plan to ensure that the entire
county knew about Relay For Life goings on. Volunteers blitzed
the community with volunteer recruitment information to build up
their planning committee, posted team fundraisers and event
information on Facebook, mailed event invitations to more than
100 Survivors, and followed up by phone to collect their RSVPs.
New this year, the event volunteers worked out a promotional
partnership with the community newspaper to run a weekly letter
to the editor. The letters were written by Team Captains and
highlighted their reasons for Relaying.
These promotional efforts acted to constantly remind community
members about the importance of Relay and the impact the event
makes on the fight against cancer.
- PPT: Terry Zahn Award
Congratulations to the volunteers of Pawnee County, Oklahoma,
recipients of this year’s Terry Zahn Awad!
[Applause]
Congratulations, and please come join us on stage to receive
your award!
-
IMAG presenters
LANE
Next, we’ll recognize a Relay that has made a significant impact
utilizing online tools.
The Online Communications Award is presented to the event in
the High Plains Division that demonstrated the best use of their
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Relay Online website as a tool for communicating within their
event.
Our winning event this year utilized their online site to promote
their event to the public, to communicate with their teams and
participants, to recruit participants to the planning committee, to
recruit teams to the event, and to raise more money than they’ve
ever raised before!
The Online Chair continuously updated the Relay Online web site
to reflect important event dates, upcoming meetings, and
upcoming fundraisers. Email blasts to participants registered
online offered valuable information, fundraising ideas, as well as
team and individual fundraising recognition.
This event also utilized the new text message update system,
sharing Relay information before and during the event via text
message blasts.
- PPT: Online Communications Award
JAMIE
Congratulations to this year’s Online Communications Award
winner… the Relay For Life of Tom Green County, Texas! Come
join us on stage!
[Applause]
- IMAG presenters
LANE
Congratulations to all of the award winners we’ve recognized, and
we’ll turn it back over to Wade and Susan! Thank you!
- Lane M. & Jamie usher award winners off stage
27
- Wade & Susan enter
- Jason M., Pam, and Betty P. ready backstage
- IMAG emcees as they arrive at podium
SUSAN
Thanks, Lane!
So Wade and I are back to facilitate some more “random
recognition” – that’s what we’ve decided to call it!
WADE
Really it’s an excuse to get you movin’ every once in awhile and
to make sure you’re still paying attention!
SUSAN
So, first congrats to all of you who have made a trip to the stage
already tonight! Pretty awesome! And if you haven’t yet, don’t
worry because there are still several awards left to present.
WADE
And although Susan and I don’t get to give awards, we do get to
dole out some kudos, so… If you’ll just stand and cheer at your
seat, let’s see who our All Star fundraisers are this year! All Star
fundraisers have raised at least $2,500 or more on their own for
one Relay For Life event.
So anyone who has individually raised $2,500 or more for their
Relay this year, go ahead and stand up so we can see you!
[Applause]
SUSAN
Fantastic! This year, 559 people in the High Plains achieved All
Star status, which is amazing! Together, those individuals raised
a total of $2,544,284 – AND they’re going to be receiving their All
28
Star recognition item from our Division later this fall!
Congratulations, All Stars!
WADE
And now let’s recognize some of our Relay volunteers who have
gotten involved beyond the local event level… If you are a
member of your Region’s Regional Council, please stand and let
us see you!
[Applause]
Awesome!
SUSAN
Okay you can go ahead and be seated…
And if you are a volunteer on the Division level as a member of
one of our Division Task Forces or as a member of the Division
Training Team please stand!
[Applause]
These volunteers do a lot of great work and really lead the way in
Relay strategic planning each year. Thank you all!
WADE
And last but not least, please stand if you are a volunteer on the
National level! Many of them may be working behind the scenes
this weekend, but there are a few National volunteers here. We
should be proud, High Plains! Let’s give them a hand!
[Applause]
SUSAN
29
Okay it looks like everyone’s still with us, Wade, so let’s get back
to the awards…
[To the audience]
Please welcome to the stage two representatives of the West
Texas Region: Regional Council Chairs, Betty Primeaux and
Pam Newman, and Regional Vice President, Jason McCoy!
-
Music Cue (Party All The Time) :18
PPT: Intro slide WTX
Jason M, Pam, & Betty P. enter
Wade and Susan exit
Letha T & Margai ready backstage
IMAG presenters as they arrive at podium
JASON
Thank you, Susan. We are going to start by recognizing the Five
Star Relays from West Texas. Please stand at your seat when
we name your Relay For Life event.
- PPT: Five Star Relays WTX
PAM
Relay For Life of Dallam/Hartley County
Relay For Life of Electra, TX
Relay For Life of Gray County
Relay For Life of Hall County
Relay for Life of Haskell/Knox Counties
- PPT: Five Star Relays WTX 2
Relay For Life of Hockley County
Relay For Life of Iowa Park
30
Relay For Life of Lamb County
Relay For Life of Lubbock County
Relay For Life of Montague County
Relay For Life of Moore County
- PPT: Five Star Relays WTX 3
Relay For Life of Motley & Dickens Counties
Relay For Life of Olney, TX
Relay For Life of Texas County
Relay For Life of Wilbarger County, TX
JASON
Congratulations to these outstanding events! You can go ahead
and be seated.
- PPT: IMAG presenters
BETTY
Next we’re going to return to the Per Capita awards, but we’re
going to highlight the top high school events in this awards
category. So now we’ll be presenting Per Capita awards to the
high school Relay For Life events that raised the most money per
student when compared with other Relays taking place at high
schools of the same size.
- PPT: 0-999 High School
PAM
We start with the 0 – 999 population bucket – meaning high
schools that have up to 999 students enrolled. And the number
one event per capita, raising $131.07 per student, is the Relay
For Life of Casady School from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma!
[Applause]
31
Please come up and join us on stage while we also recognize our
second and third place events in this population bucket: the
Relay For Life of Centralia High School at $69.79 per cap and the
Relay For Life of Honoka’a High School at $49.74.
- PPT: 1000+ High School
JASON
Congratulations!
And now we’ll present the Per Capita award for high school
events taking place at schools with more than 1000 students…
Raising $54.63 per student, it’s the Relay For Life of Mustang
Youth in Mustang, Oklahoma! Come on down!
[Applause]
Not far behind in second place is the Relay For Life of East
Central ISD in Texas and in third place, the Relay For Life of
Saline County Youth in Kansas. Great job!
- PPT: 0-2,499 Collegiate
BETTY
That’s all for the high school per capita awards, and now we’ll
take a look at collegiate Relays. There are several collegiate Per
Capita awards to present, and we get to kick’em off.
In the 0 – 2,499 population bucket, recognizing the top Relay per
capita taking place at schools with a student population of up to
2,499 students, the Relay For Life of Doane College is the
number one event!
[Applause]
32
Come join us on stage!
This event raised $64.07 per student this past year to claim the
top spot! And close behind in second place is Oklahoma City
University at $13.89 per student… Congratulations to both of
these events and their volunteers!
- PPT: 2,500-4,999 Collegiate
PAM
Next is the per capita award for collegiate events at schools with
2,500 – 4,999 students… Raising $12.80 per student, the
number one event is the Relay For Life of Nebraska Wesleyan
University!
[Applause]
And honorable mention goes to the Relay For Life of the
University of Hawaii at Hilo, which raised $9.12 per student.
Great work!
- IMAG presenters
JASON
Those high school and collegiate events are amazing! Relay For
Life is quite an undertaking when you consider all of the preplanning that goes into creating a successful event, and these
youth and young adults really know how to put on a great Relay!
Let’s give them one more round of applause!
[Applause]
BETTY
33
We have more collegiate and community per capita awards to
give away later on in tonight’s Awards Ceremony, but we’re going
to pause first and present our Veteran Relay Award first.
- PPT: Veteran Relay Award
This is an award given to the High Plains Relay For Life event that
has shown the largest increase in income from 2011 to 2012 and
that has been in existence for a minimum of 10 years.
The 2012 Veteran Relay Award goes to… The Relay For Life of
Geary County, KS!
[Applause]
- IMAG presenters
PAM
Please come accept your award on stage! This event grew by
176% this year. Congratulations, again!
- Jason M, Pam, and Betty P exit
- PPT: Intro slide ETX
VOG
Thank you, Jason, Betty, and Pam. Now please give a warm
welcome to our next award presenters, from the East Texas
Region, Regional Council Chair, Margai Bass, and Regional Vice
President, Letha Tullos.
-
Music Cue (Somewhere Only We Know) :15
Letha T & Margai enter
Wade and Susan ready backstage
IMAG presenters as they arrive at podium
34
LETHA
It’s our turn now to recognize the Five Star Relays from the East
Texas Region. We are so proud of these events and all that they
have achieved. Please stand as we call your Relay event name.
- PPT: Five Star events ETX
MARGAI
Relay For Life of Cass County
Relay For Life of Cherokee County
Relay For Life of Leon County
Relay For Life of Nacogdoches County
Relay For Life of Red River County
Relay For Life of San Augustine
Relay For Life of Upshur County
LETHA
Congratulations, Five Star events! You may be seated.
- PPT: 5,000 – 9,999 Collegiate
MARGAI
Next, we’ll continue recognizing the top collegiate events in the
division with per capita awards… starting with the 5,000 to 9,999
campus population bucket.
Raising $15.46 per student in 2012, the number one per capita
event is the Relay For Life of St. Louis University!
[Applause]
Please join us on stage! And let’s give a hand to the runners up
in this population bucket – in second place, Creighton University
35
at $8.63 per student, and in third place, Texas A&M Commerce at
$5.52.
- PPT: 10,000 – 15,999 Collegiate
LETHA
Congratulations to you all!
We’ll continue on to the 10,000 to 15,999 student population
bucket. The number one Relay in this category raised a fantastic
$22.04 per student this year… It’s the Relay For Life of
Washington University!
[Applause]
Kudos also goes to our second and third place events in this
population bucket, the Relay For Life of SMU at $11.85 per
student and the Relay For Life of Baylor University at $4.68 per
student.
MARGAI
[To award winner]
Thanks for all of your hard work and congratulations on your Per
Capita award!
- IMAG presenters
Let’s pause again on the Per Capita awards and present our
Online Fundraising Awards for this year!
LETHA
The Online Fundraising Awards are presented to the Relay For
Life events and individual participants that raised the most money
online in 2012. We’ll present two individual awards and two event
36
awards – one for community involvement and one for youth or
collegiate involvement.
- PPT: Individual Online Fundraising - Community
MARGAI
Let’s start with the Individual Online Fundraising Award for
community events. This Relay participant raised a whopping
$56,770 for her event this year… From the Relay For Life of
McKinney, Texas, Mary McAndrew is the number one online
fundraiser this year and tonight’s recipient of the Individual Online
Fundraising Award!
[Applause]
Mary, please join us on stage to receive your award –
congratulations!
- PPT: Individual Online Fundraising – Youth/Collegiate
LETHA
And now for the Individual Online Fundraising Award for youth
and collegiate events. Our winner raised $19,600 for her
collegiate event at SMU… Congratulations to Katie Schaible!
[Applause]
- PPT: Online Fundraising Event – Youth/Collegiate
MARGAI
Moving now to the youth or collegiate event Online Fundraising
Award… This collegiate event raised an amazing $216,088
online this year, claiming the Online Fundraising Award yet
again… It’s the Relay For Life of Washington University in St.
Louis!
37
[Applause]
- PPT: Online Fundraising – Community
LETHA
And last but not least, this community Relay For Life event
brought in $198,488 online this year. The recipient of our Online
Fundraising Award for community events is… the Relay For Life
of McKinney, Texas!
[Applause]
- IMAG presenters
MARGAI
Let’s give these events a huge round of applause for their
dedication to fundraising this year! The Relay For Life web sites
are certainly gaining momentum as online fundraising tools, and
these events are showing us how it’s done. Congratulations
again!
-
Letha T & Margai exit with award winners
Wade and Susan enter
Erin M. & Rod Tam ready backstage
IMAG emcees as they enter
WADE
It’s time for another commercial break with your favorite emcees,
Wade and Susan!
SUSAN
Let’s hear it for all of our award winners so far – and I’d use this
time to clap AND stretch while you have the chance!
38
[Applause, stretching]
- Music Cue (Feel So Close) :35
WADE
Okay okay that’s enough! Go ahead and take your seats…
We’ve been doing a lot of recognition of youth and collegiate
events on stage in the past several minutes, so Susan and I want
to recognize some of the youth and collegiate volunteers out in
the audience tonight, too!
SUSAN
That’s right, so if you participate in a youth event or a college
Relay, why don’t you stand up so we can see you?
[Applause]
WADE
YOU, our youth volunteers are literally the future of Relay! So
props to you for getting involved at an early age and taking up the
fight against cancer at your elementary schools, middle schools,
high schools and colleges!
This year in the High Plains Division, we hosted 48 youth and
collegiate Relay For Life events that totaled $2,432,975 in
fundraising dollars. Pretty awesome, huh?
SUSAN
And on the collegiate level, several colleges and universities have
not only incorporated Relay For Life events on their campuses,
they’ve also got Colleges Against Cancer chapters, as well.
Colleges Against Cancer is essentially a student organization
focused on instituting American Cancer Society mission,
education, prevention, and advocacy activities on campus year39
round to engage the collegiate community in the fight against
cancer – regardless of whether they’re involved with Relay or not.
It’s a fantastic organization that engages students and educators,
alike, in the work of the American Cancer Society!
WADE
If you are a member of a Colleges Against Cancer chapter on
your college campus, will you please stand?
Let’s give these guys a round of applause!
[Applause]
SUSAN
Okay that’s all from Wade and me for now, but we’ll be back in
just a little while. In the meantime, the Hawaii-Pacific Region will
present our next round of awards. Please welcome Regional
Council Chair, Rod Tam, and Regional Vice President, Erin
Moncada.
-
Music Cue (Barton Hollow) :15
Wade and Susan exit
Erin M. & Rod enter
PPT: Intro slide Hawaii/Pac
Betti G. and Kari ready backstage
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
ERIN
Hello everyone. We hope you’re having a great evening so far.
We are excited to present to you the Five Star Relay events from
our region, the Hawaii/Pacific Region. We invite you to stand at
your seat as your Relay event is named.
- PPT: Five Star Relays Hawaii/Pac
40
ROD
Relay For Life of Central/South Maui
Relay For Life of Guam
Relay For Life of Hilo
Relay For Life of Kaua'i
Relay For Life of Kona
Relay For Life of Leeward O'ahu
- PPT: Five Star Relays Hawaii/Pac 2
Relay For Life of University of Hawaii at Hilo
Relay For Life of University of Hawaii at Manoa
- IMAG presenters
ERIN
Congratulations to all of our Five Star events on your hard work
and perseverance in achieving this recognition.
ROD
We have the honor of finishing up the collegiate per capita awards
at this time. We’ll start where we left off during the last round of
awards… with the 16,000 – 24,999 campus population bucket.
- PPT: 16,000 – 24,999 Collegiate
The number one per capita event in this category raised $3.71 per
student this year… Will the volunteers from the Relay For Life of
the University of Hawaii at Manoa come on down?
[Applause]
41
And we also want to recognize our second and third place events
– the Relay For Life of UMKC and Rockhurst in Kansas City and
the Relay For Life of Oklahoma State University. Congratulations!
- PPT: 25,000+ Collegiate
ERIN
And to round out the collegiate per capita awards, we’ll recognize
the number one event in the 25,000+ campus population
bucket… Raising $4.21 per student this year, it’s the Relay For
Life of The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma!
[Applause]
Honorable mention goes to the Relay For Life of Mizzou, number
2 in this bucket, and the Relay For Life of Aggieland, number 3 in
this population bucket. Great job!
- IMAG presenters
ROD
The final award that Erin and I will be presenting tonight is the Big
12 Challenge Award. Notice that they bestowed this honor on two
Hawaii/Pacific Region representatives so there is absolutely no
way we could have swayed the outcome!
[Chuckles hopefully]
The Big 12 Challenge Award was first presented in 2009, and it
recognizes the collegiate event from the Big 12 that shows the
greatest NET increase over the previous fiscal year.
ERIN
42
Oklahoma State University received the first Big 12 Challenge
Award in 2009. Then Mizzou won in 2010 and the University of
Texas took it home in 2011.
- PPT: Big 12 Challenge Award
This year’s Big 12 Challenge Award goes to… The University of
Oklahoma with a NET increase of $12,707 from 2011 to 2012!
[Applause]
Congratulations to the OU volunteers and staff!
- PPT: SEC Challenge Award
ROD
New this year, we have also instituted an SEC Challenge since
two of our beloved Big 12 schools left the conference and headed
to the Southeastern Conference this year. Those two schools –
Texas A&M University and the University of Missouri – took part
in the challenge. The same rules applied…
With an increase of $11,178 from 2011 to 2012, the first ever SEC
Challenge Award winner is… Texas A & M University!
[Applause]
- IMAG emcees
ERIN
Congratulations to Texas A & M for showing such amazing growth
and for earning the SEC Challenge title!
- Erin M. & Rod exit
43
VOG
Now welcome to the stage, from the Gulf Coast Region, Regional
Council Chair, Kari Griggs Martin, and Regional Vice President,
Betti Guzman!
-
Music Cue (Club Can’t Handle Me) :15
Betti G. and Kari enter
Wade and Susan ready backstage
PPT: Intro slide Gulf Coast
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
BETTI
Thanks so much for being here tonight, everyone! Kari and I are
proud to honor the Five Star Relay events from the Gulf Coast
Region. We actually have just one this year, and they worked
hard for their Five Star status!
- PPT: Five Star Relays Gulf Coast
KARI
Will the volunteers from the Relay For Life of North Channel in
Houston please stand so we can recognize you?
- IMAG presenters
BETTI
Such a great accomplishment – congratulations to you!
KARI
We are excited because we get to recognize some of the top
fundraising high school and collegiate events AND some of the
top fundraising high school and collegiate teams tonight!
- PPT: Top 5 Youth/Collegiate Events
44
We’ll start with the events, and please come on stage when your
event’s name is called.
The Top 5 Fundraising Youth or Collegiate Events are…
#5: the Relay For Life of Aggieland at $98,704
#4: the Relay For Life of The University of Oklahoma, raising
$108,147
#3: the Relay For Life of SMU at $133,162
#2: just $132 more than SMU at $133,294, it’s the Relay For Life
of St. Louis University
- PPT: Top 5 Youth/Collegiate Events 2
And #1… raising an inspiring $263,879 is the Relay For Life of
Washington University in St. Louis!
[Applause]
Congratulations to these outstanding events!
- PPT: Top 5 Youth/College Teams
BETTI
Now let’s recognize the Top 5 Fundraising Youth or Collegiate
Teams. These are all teams made up primarily of youth
participants, and the team may have participated in either a youth
or community event. If any of these teams are present, we invite
you to join us on the stage.
#5: From Texas Tech and raising $18,524, the Alpha Phi and
Kappa Sig team
#4: From Casady School in Oklahoma City, the Life Savers!
They raised $21,807.
45
- PPT: Top 5 Youth/College Teams 2
#3: Raising $26,400… From The University of Oklahoma, the
OU Society of Petroleum Engineers
#2: From the Relay For Life of Perry County, raising $31,878,
the Treasures team!
- PPT: Top 5 Youth/College Teams 3
And #1 in the Division… This team raised $52,316… From SMU,
the Relay For Life Board 2012!
[Applause]
- IMAG presenters and award winners
Together, just these Top 5 youth and collegiate teams raised
$150,925! Kind of inspires me to go out and raise more money!
KARI
I know! It’s very inspirational to see what these kids can do!
BETTI
Thank you to all of our youth and college event participants and
congratulations, again, to tonight’s award winners! Now, we’ll turn
it back over to our emcees, Wade and Susan.
-
Betti G. and Kari exit
Wade and Susan enter
Stephanie W. and Deb Winter ready backstage
IMAG emcees as they come on stage
SUSAN
Thank you, Betti!
46
[To audience]
Hello again, High Plains Relayers! How’s everyone doing?
[Pause – probably won’t be a whole bunch of cheers ]
Wade and I are back one last time for some “Random
Recognition”!
WADE
Get excited because you might get to stand and be recognized
next!
SUSAN
This time out, we’re ready to recognize the tech savvy Relayers
and Relay events! So… If your event utilizes a Facebook
account to promote event activities, stand up!
[Pause]
Awesome! Now if your event utilizes Twitter as a PR and
recruitment tool, either remain standing or stand up if you were
sitting down!
WADE
Great! And if you use BOTH Facebook and Twitter – or any other
combination of social media – stand up so we can recognize you!
[Applause]
Social media is a GREAT way to appeal to lots of different types
of potential Relayers – and it’s super fast and easy. If you haven’t
gotten a Facebook page or Twitter account started for your event
yet, consider giving it a try this year!
47
SUSAN
Also, as was mentioned during our Online awards presentations
earlier in the evening, the Relay Online web sites are gaining in
popularity! Every Relay For Life event in the division has its own
Relay Online web site to be utilized as both a promotional tool
AND a fundraising tool… and the opportunities to expand your
Relay in number of participants AND funds raised are endless
when you truly use your online site to its fullest.
WADE
Speaking of the Relay Online web sites, the 2013 sites have been
“live” since September 5… so if your event already has at least
ONE TEAM registered online for 2013 via your Relay Online web
site, stand up! You deserve LOTS of kudos for getting your Relay
teams started for 2013 so quickly!
SUSAN
Great job to everyone who’s standing! Less than a month after
the Relay Online sites went live, you’ve got people signed up and
ready to raise money – good for you!
WADE
And now it’s time for Susan and I to turn it over to the Kansas
Region for our next set of awards. We won’t see you until we get
to present the Heart of Relay awards in just a little bit…
SUSAN
I’m so excited to present awards!
WADE
Until then, enjoy the rest of the awards show and please welcome
to the stage Regional Council Chair for the Kansas Region, Deb
Winter, and Regional Vice President, Stephanie Weiter!
- Wade and Susan exit
48
-
PPT: Intro slide Kansas
Stephanie W. and Deb enter
Maria C. and Amy M. ready backstage
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
STEPHANIE
Hello everyone! Who’s excited to hear about the Five Star Relays
from the Kansas Region???
[Applause]
Great! Because Deb and I are going to present them now.
Please stand when your event name is called.
- PPT: Five Star Kansas
DEB
Relay For Life of Augusta
Relay For Life of Barber County
Relay For Life of Barton County
Relay For Life of Bourbon County
Relay For Life of Brown County, KS
Relay For Life of Cheyenne County
- PPT: Five Star Kansas 2
Relay For Life of Cloud County
Relay For Life of Crawford County
Relay For Life of Douglas County
Relay For Life of Ellis County
Relay For Life of Geary County
Relay For Life of Greenwood County
- PPT: Five Star Kansas 3
49
Relay For Life of Independence Kansas
Relay For Life of Jewell County
Relay For Life of Nemaha County
Relay For Life of Neosho County
Relay For Life of Ness County
Relay For Life of Norton County
- PPT: Five Star Kansas 4
Relay For Life of Rice County
Relay For Life of Saline County
Relay For Life of Saline County Youth
Relay For Life of Stanton County
Relay For Life of Stevens County
Relay For Life of Sumner County
Relay For Life of Wichita
Relay For Life of Winfield
- IMAG presenters
STEPHANIE
Congratulations, Five Star Relays!
DEB
Now we’re going to continue the community per capita awards
that we started way back at the beginning of the Awards
Ceremony. We like to keep you in suspense!
- PPT: 50,000 – 59,999 per cap
The next per capita award is for the 50,000 – 59,999 population
bucket. The top county this year raised $3.78 per capita… Give
it up for Washington County, Oklahoma!
50
[Applause]
Congratulations also to the second and third place counties in this
bucket – Saline County, Kansas and Hardin County, Texas
- PPT: 60,000 – 74,999 per cap
STEPHANIE
Next we move to the 60,000 – 74,999 population bucket. Raising
$3.16 per capita and claiming the per capita award for 2012 is…
Kauai, Hawaii!
[Applause]
Not far behind in second place is Bastrop County, OK at $2.97
per cap and in third place, San Patricio County, Texas at $2.78.
Great job to all of these communities!
- PPT: 75,000 – 99,999 per cap
DEB
Now to the per capita award for the 75,000 – 99,999 population
bucket… This county raised $4.47 per cap and is now the
number one fundraising event in its population category…
Congratulations to Cole County, Missouri!
[Applause]
Come join us on the stage! And kudos also to the runners up in
this population bucket – Payne County, OK in second place and
Hunt County, Texas in third.
- IMAG presenters
STEPHANIE
51
Next is a very special award, the Thanks A Million Award, and it’s
fairly new to the High Plains Division. This award allows us to
recognize all of the events that have – in the 2012 fiscal year –
reached the $1 Million dollar mark cumulatively over the lifespan
of the event. Some of these events have even reached a multimillion dollar mark! Let’s recognize all of these events now, and if
you will, please join us on stage when we call your event’s
name…
- PPT: Thanks A Million award
RC CHAIR
The following events have reached the $1 Million mark this year:
Relay For Life of Comanche County, OK
Relay For Life of Northwest Corpus Christi
Relay For Life of Finney County
Relay For Life of Owasso/Collinsville
Relay For Life of Cooper County
Relay For Life of Ellis County
- PPT: Thanks A Million award 2
Relay For Life of Lavaca County
Relay For Life of Neosho County
Relay For Life of Perry County
Relay For Life of Woodward County
Relay For Life of Greater Bay Area
Relay For Life of McPherson County
- PPT: Thanks A Million award 3
Relay For Life of North Dallas
52
Relay For Life of Taylor
Relay For Life of Temple
Relay For Life of Stephens County
Relay For Life of Randolph County
Relay For Life of Otoe County
- PPT: Thanks A Million award 4
Relay For Life of Coppell
Relay For Life of Freestone County
Relay For Life of Phelps County
STEPHANIE
Those events reaching the $2 Million mark include:
- PPT: Thanks A Million award 5
Relay For Life of Washington University
Relay For Life of N.O.W.
Relay For Life of Franklin County
Relay For Life of Polk County
Relay For Life of Overland Park/Leawood
Relay For Life of Denton
- PPT: Thanks A Million award 6
DEB
Raising more than $3 Million cumulatively since the event’s
inception, let’s hear it for the Relay For Life of Hilo!
[Applause]
53
- PPT: Thanks A Million award 7
And we have two events that have raised more than $4 Million to
date… The Relay For Life of Douglas County, Nebraska and the
Relay For Life of Cole County, Missouri.
- PPT: Thanks A Million award 8
STEPHANIE
And last but certainly not least, let’s recognize the two events in
all of the High Plains Division that have reached not the $5 Million
milestone, but the $6 Million mark since the events began… First,
the Relay For Life of Springfield, Missouri!
[Applause]
And second, the Relay For Life of Bay Area, Texas!
[Applause]
Congratulations and Thanks A Million to all of these award
winners! Your unending dedication to Relay For Life and the fight
against cancer is amazing!
- Stephanie W. and Deb exit
VOG
The North Texas Region will present our next set of awards.
Please join me in welcoming Regional Council Chair, Amy
Martinez, and Regional Vice President, Maria Clark!
-
Music Cue (Hold Me, Thrill Me….) :15
Maria C. and Amy enter
Lesa F. and Suzy S. ready backstage
PPT: Intro slide NTX
54
- IMAG presenters as they reach podium
MARIA
From the North Texas Region, we are proud to recognize several
of our Relay For Life events that achieved Five Star Relay status
this year. When we call your event’s name, please stand at your
seat.
- PPT: Five Star Relays NTX
AMY
Relay For Life of Allen
Relay For Life of Coppell
Relay For Life of Denton
Relay For Life of Forney
Relay For Life of Granbury
Relay For Life of Hunt County
- PPT: Five Star Relays NTX 2
Relay For Life of Richardson/Plano
Relay For Life of Rockwall
Relay For Life of SMU
Relay For Life of Wylie/Sachse/Murphy
- IMAG presenters
MARIA
Thank you and congratulations to all of our Five Star Relays!
AMY
Believe it or not, we’ve still got some community per capita
awards to present! We’re diving right in with the 100,000 –
149,999 population bucket…
55
- PPT: 100,000 -149,999 pop bucket
The number one county in this population category raised $3.74
per capita this year… Put your hands together for the Relay For
Life of Guam!
[Applause]
Congratulations also goes to the second and third place counties,
Tom Green County, Texas with $2.37 per capita, and Douglas
County, Kansas with $1.79 per capita.
Great job!
- PPT: 150,000 -249,999 pop bucket
MARIA
In the 150,000 to 249,999 population bucket, the winning
community raised $2.38 per cap… From Hawaii, congratulations
to the Big Island!
[Applause]
Not far behind is our second place community, Johnson County
Texas, and our third place community, Boone County, Missouri.
- PPT: 250,000 - 499,999 pop bucket
AMY
And the population sizes just keep getting larger! Our next per
capita award is for the 250,000 – 499,999 population bucket!
Raising $1.71 per capita this year, the number one county in the
division in this population category is… Greene County, Missouri!
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[Applause]
Congratulations! And the second and third place events did a
fantastic job, as well – Lancaster County, Nebraska raising $1.60
and Nueces County, Texas raising $1.42.
MARIA
Our next award is new this year – the Customer Satisfaction
Award. We will present this award to the top five events in the
High Plains Division that received the highest Customer
Satisfaction Survey scores for their 2012 Relays. You might
remember receiving a thank you email following your Relay For
Life event that also invited you to complete an online survey.
That survey is the Customer Satisfaction Survey, and it is using
these scores that our award winners are determined.
- PPT: Customer Satisfaction Awards
AMY
And the most satisfactory Relays are…
#5: The Relay For Life of Kauai, Hawaii
#4: The Relay For Life of Wharton County, Texas
#3: The Relay For Life of Conroe, Texas
#2: The Relay For Life of Bay Area (Baytown), Texas
And #1… with an overall satisfaction rating of 90 out of 100…The
Relay For Life of South Mid Jefferson, Texas!
MARIA
Ensuring that our volunteers are happy with the Relay events in
which they participate is something we strive to do year in and
year out. Clearly these events have it down pat! Congratulations
and keep up the great work!
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- Maria C. and Amy exit
VOG
And our last region presenters of the night are from the Oklahoma
Region! Join me in welcoming to the stage Regional Council
Chair, Suzy Shoemaker, and Regional Vice President, Lesa
Foster!
-
Music Cue (Sideways) :15
Lesa F. and Suzy S. enter
Marcus, Gay-Lynne, and Mike D. ready backstage
PPT: Intro slide OK
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
LESA
Hello everyone. Suzy and I are excited to showcase our 2012
Five Star Relays for the Oklahoma Region. Volunteers and staff,
please stand when we call your Relay’s name.
- PPT: Five Star Events OK
SUZY
Relay For Life of Beckham County
Relay For Life of Custer County
Relay For Life of Love County
Relay For Life of McIntosh County
Relay For Life of Sapulpa
Relay For Life of Stephens County
Relay For Life of Tulsa
- IMAG presenters
LESA
Congratulations to these Relays and their volunteers!
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SUZY
Now we will present the last of the community per capita awards.
We’ve got the big dogs up last, starting with the 500,000 to
999,999 population bucket.
- PPT: 500,000 – 999,999 pop bucket
The winning county this year raised $1.19 per person in the
community… From the North Texas Region, it’s Collin County,
Texas!
[Applause]
Congratulations! And let’s also give a round of applause to the
runners up – in second place, Johnson County, Texas raising
$.86 per capita, and in third place, the Tulsa County, Oklahoma
raising $.84 per capita.
- PPT: 1,000,000+ pop bucket
LESA
And finally, we’ll name the top fundraising event per capita in the
1,000,000+ population bucket!
Raising $.46 per capita in 2012, the number one county in the
Division in this population category is… Tarrant County, Texas!
[Applause]
What a fantastic achievement – congratulations! We would also
like to recognize the second and third place counties as you see
on the screen – Travis County, Texas and Harris County, Texas.
- IMAG presenters
59
SUZY
Lesa and I get to present one last award – a very special award –
before we go. It’s the Division Choice Award, and it recognizes
an event that has had an outstanding or extraordinary year, has
overcome unforeseen circumstances, has shown continuous
growth but does not qualify for other awards, has demonstrated
extreme longevity but has not won another award, or has special
circumstances warranting recognition.
LESA
This year, the Division Choice Award is being presented to an
event that battled through unfortunate circumstances to produce a
successful Relay For Life event. Let me read from the staff
partner’s nomination letter:
I have been working with this Relay For Life event for two years
and have been amazed at what the community has
accomplished. In the first 10 years of Relaying, they raised their
first million dollars. The 2013 Relay will be their 16th year and
during this year, they will reach the two million dollar mark,
despite what their community has been through.
In September of 2011, just weeks after a promising first
committee meeting, the Bastrop/Smithville community suffered
from the most destructive fire in U.S. history. The fire destroyed
1,691 homes in Bastrop County, caused $325 million in damage,
and killed two people. Many committee members and their
families were evacuated from their homes and had no knowledge
if their homes or neighbors were safe…
After the fire, the Relay committee took September off to be with
their families and to tend to all the devastation that had just
occurred. When we gathered again in October, the committee
decided that no goal should be set. Although we, the ACS, had a
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goal for the community of $100,000, it was never announced at
meetings. Instead, the community wanted to focus on rebuilding
their Relay and coming together as one to make this event one to
remember.
Committee members really stepped up and took charge. The
volunteers came up with new and innovative ways to raise funds
and to make their Relay fresh. For example, one woman who was
in charge of cancer fact signs for the event took the facts to a
local high school and asked them to make an art project out of it
by creating the signs. It was tremendously successful and got
more students involved in Relay.
They also incorporated a butterfly release during the Opening
Ceremony to honor survivors and caregivers. The butterfly
population was wiped out during the fires, so it repopulated the
area as well!
Not only did this event incorporate new and creative ways to get
the community more involved and back together, the teams came
through and raised more than $150,000 – $50,000 more than
their unspoken goal!
The community has such heart, and each and every one of the
participants is dedicated to fighting cancer. This community
deserves the Division Choice Award for how hard they have
worked over the last year to get their Relay back together and to
make it so successful.
- PPT: Division Choice Award
SUZY
Well, we agree! Congratulations to the Relay For Life of
Bastrop/Smithville, this year’s High Plains Division Choice Award
winner!
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[Applause]
- IMAG presenters
LESA
Again, congratulations to these very deserving award winners,
and enjoy the rest of the Awards Ceremony!
- Lesa F. and Suzy S. exit
VOG
Taking the stage now to present the Top 10 Fundraising
Community Events and Top 10 Fundraising Teams are the Relay
For Life Advisory Team Co-Chairs, Marcus Brewer and GayLynne Jones, joined by Executive Vice President, American
Cancer Society Inc., Mike Dany.
-
Music Cue (Hello) :20
Marcus, Gay-Lynne, and Mike enter
Susan and Wade ready backstage
PPT: Intro slide Marcus, Gay-Lynne, and Mike
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
MARCUS
Good evening High Plains Relayers! Gay-Lynne, Mike, and I are
super excited to recognize our overall top events and top teams
from this past year.
GAY-LYNNE
These events and teams represent the best of the best in our
Division. They bleed purple and serve as great examples and
networking opportunities for all of us who seek to grow our
fundraising efforts.
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MARCUS
We are going to start by naming the top ten events in terms of
overall fundraising this past year. When your event name is
called, please come, join us on stage, and receive your award
from Mike.
- PPT: Top 10 Community Events
GAY-LYNNE
#10: raising $252,950… the Relay For Life of Springfield in
Missouri!
#9: This event raised $256,850 in 2012… congratulations to the
Relay For Life of Tom Green County, Texas!
#8: Coming in at $265,210… the Relay For Life of South Mid
Jefferson, Texas!
- PPT: Top 10 Community Events 2
MARCUS
#7: Raising $280,020… the Relay For Life of Polk County,
Texas!
Now we jump to the “3”s…
#6: At $334,305… the Relay For Life of Cherokee County,
Texas!
#5: Just $1000 more at $335,464 is the Relay For Life of Cole
County, Missouri!
- PPT: Top 10 Community Events 3
GAY-LYNNE
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#4: At $362,238… the Relay For Life of Lincoln – Haymarket
Park in Nebraska!
#3: This event brought in $426,626… the Relay For Life of
McKinney, Texas!
We’re getting closer to the top!
#2: At $497,358… the Relay For Life of Guam!
- PPT: Top 10 Community Events 4
MARCUS
And we’ve reached the number 1 event in the Division for 2012…
Here’s a hint. Their fundraising total this year is $563,534! It’s
the Relay For Life of Bay Area (Baytown), Texas!
Congratulations!
[Applause]
- PPT: Top 10 Community Teams
GAY-LYNNE
We would now like to recognize the top ten fundraising teams in
the High Plains Division. If you are present this evening, we also
invite you to join us on stage.
MARCUS
#10: From the Relay For Life of Beaumont, Texas… raising
$46,966… the Survivor Jefferson County team!
#9: At $49,855… the Barbers Hill ISD team from the Relay For
Life of Bay Area (Baytown), Texas!
#8: From Norfolk Area, Nebraska… the Nucor Cancer
Crushers, raising $52,064!
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- PPT: Top 10 Community Teams 2
GAY-LYNNE
#7: This team is from the Relay For Life of Guam… They raised
$53,317 in 2012… Team Bankon Ifit!
#6: At $57,297… From Cole County, Missouri… Diamonds In
The Sky!
#5: From the Relay For Life of Polk County, Texas and raising
$58,854… the Georgia Pacific team!
- PPT: Top 10 Community Teams 3
MARCUS
#4: Bringing in $64,202 for the Relay For Life of Lincoln –
Haymarket Park, Nebraska… the Playing For Pink team!
#3: From McKinney, Texas… Life Over Limb raising $67,209!
#2: And this year’s runner up… raising $69,433 – an AMAZING
total for one team – is the Flower Children from Marion
County, Missouri!
- PPT: Top 10 Community Teams 4
GAY-LYNNE
And finally… the announcement you’ve been waiting for… the
announcement of our #1 fundraising team in the Division…
It’s the Burrito Brigade from Cherokee County, Texas!
[Applause]
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You’ll never guess how much money they raised as a team…
$222,673! WOW!
[Applause]
MARCUS
Take note of these people on stage. They are leaders of some of
the most amazing Relay families in the division. They are up here
not to be recognized individually, but as representatives of the
committees and team members who work tirelessly to make their
event an award-winning event and their teams award-winning
teams. Let’s give them all a HUGE round of applause.
- Marcus, Gay-Lynne, and Mike exit
VOG
Please welcome your emcees back to the stage – Wade
Brockway and Susan Rodriguez!
-
Music Cue (Sex On Fire) :15
Susan and Wade enter
Steve Z. and Randy L. ready backstage
PPT: Intro slide Wade and Susan
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
WADE
Woohoo! We finally get to come up and present some real
awards!
SUSAN
I know! And they’re really special awards, too!
[To audience]
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Wade and I have the honor of presenting the Heart of Relay
Awards tonight. Heart of Relay awards are bestowed upon top
events demonstrating successful practices, innovations,
programs, and activities that further the Society’s mission and the
Relay For Life movement. Relay For Life staff partners
nominated their events in an application process for each of the
Heart of Relay Awards, and the final winners were selected by a
Division awards review committee. Heart of Relay Awards are
given in four categories: Mission Delivery, Survivorship
Engagement, Advocacy, and Youth Engagement in a Community
Event.
WADE
Our first award will be the Heart of Relay Award for Mission
Delivery, recognizing a promising practice in Mission Delivery
which may include cancer prevention & detection awareness,
uniting communities, research promotion, or other outreach.
This year’s winner took “mission delivery” to the next level during
their “Paint the Town Purple” week!
As many of you may know, gathering support from neighboring
communities for Relay is sometimes hard, and the volunteers for
this Relay For Life event decided that if the neighboring
community wasn’t going to come to them, they’d take the
American Cancer Society and Relay For Life to them! They
planned a week of activities to educate the community about
Relay and the impact of the American Cancer Society.
The week included a number of things:
 Painting the town purple – window fronts, bank marquees,
classrooms, and more! The main street lampposts were
even outfitted with purple light bulbs!
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 TATA Tuesday – where donors were asked to “fill the cup” of
a huge purple bra in support of Relay while the local Relay
team members passed out breast cancer information.
 An Ice Cream Social that also featured a prayer service
honoring Survivors and those lost to cancer
 A Pancake Flop dinner fundraiser
 A balloon release in honor and in memory of loved ones who
have battled cancer
 A Cupcake Walk
 And a benefit concert in the park
During Paint The Town Purple week, volunteers published
information about the event, Relay, and the ACS in the local
newspaper and talked on the radio during a 45 minute public
access show, as well.
- PPT: HOR - Mission
Congratulations to the Relay For Life of Cushing, Oklahoma, this
year’s Heart of Relay Award winner for Mission Delivery!
SUSAN
Our second Heart of Relay Award is for Survivor and Caregiver
Engagement. The winning event, through a new Survivor
engagement strategy in 2012, increased its Survivor participants
from 103 to 121, which is a remarkable increase of 17%! The
increase is attributed to fantastic new Survivor committee
members that were recruited this past year, as well as a new
Survivor and Caregiver engagement plan that increase Caregiver
participation, too.
The plan included:
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 Registering Caregivers using a formal registration form in
order to make them feel more “official” in their Caregiver
roles and to help plan for Caregiver recognition at the event
 Mailing event information and an invitation to participate in
the 2012 event to Caregivers who registered in 2011.
 Mailing a luminaria form to Caregivers along with an
invitation to purchase luminaria for loved ones who have
battled cancer.
 Offering a Caregiver luminaria bag so Survivors could honor
those who have supported them through their battle
 Including Survivors in the event Kickoff party in January and
asking them to join Relay teams that were forming that night
 Asking a Survivor or a Caregiver to share his or her story at
each Team Captain meeting
 Sending a holiday mailing to Survivors that also included a
coupon for a local restaurant
 Mailing a Survivor welcome packet during the week of Relay
that provided logistical details, a parking pass, and other
important information to Survivors registered to attend the
event
At the event, great emphasis was placed on the
Survivor/Caregiver relationship during the Opening Ceremony,
when Survivors and Caregivers walked the first lap hand in hand,
and also during the Luminaria Ceremony, which focused on the
Caregiver’s role in caring for cancer patients.
- PPT: HOR – Survivor/Caregiver Engagement
Congratulations to the winner of our 2012 Heart of Relay Award
for Survivor and Caregiver Engagement… the Relay For Life of
Tulsa, Oklahoma!
WADE
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Our next Heart of Relay Award is for Advocacy and recognizes
successful practices and innovations supporting both the mission
of the American Cancer Society and the ACS Cancer Action
Network.
This year’s Advocacy award winner set a very lofty goal for ACS
CAN recruitment this year… and met it! By incorporating an
advocacy message at each Team Captain meeting, encouraging
teams to be involved in advocacy events – like the “Suits and
Sneakers” event at the state capitol in January, and engaging
teams in a letter-writing campaign to the local newspaper
promoting increased cancer research funding, local Relay
participants were given an opportunity to be truly involved with
government relations activities in their community. And through
these activities, they learned even more about the benefits of the
Cancer Action Network.
And that’s why, when the volunteers from this Relay For Life
event challenged teams to sign up ALL of their team members to
be CAN members, five teams accepted and achieved that
challenge! Those five teams turned into 73 CAN members…
And the event surpassed its goal of recruiting 100 CAN members
in 2012 by 9 members! How awesome!
- PPT: HOR - Advocacy
Congratulations to the Relay For Life of Shawnee County,
Kansas, our Heart of Relay Award winner for Advocacy!
SUSAN
Our final Heart of Relay Award for this year recognizes Youth
Engagement in a Community event. The winning event this year
set a goal to recruit three youth Relay teams and one youth
committee member for 2012… Committee members encouraged
youth county-wide to get involved by having a team or assisting in
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event planning. In the end, they recruited FOUR youth teams and
TWO youth committee members!
The youth teams raised a combined total of over $5,000, and one
of the youth team captains was actually the event’s top
fundraising individual, raising $864. Beyond fundraising, these
youth actively helped to promote Relay in school, church and
community.
Two of the middle-school aged youth, serving as co-captains,
were featured in a PSA created and aired by the local cable
company. Their team incorporated the event theme to build
enthusiasm as they conducted pre-event fundraisers, and they
continued to fundraise at the event with splatter painting t-shirt art
at their campsite.
A senior high youth recruited a team of peers and used her
journalism skills to serve as a newspaper reporter both before and
after the event. These articles were published in each of our
three area newspapers.
A youth team, comprised of all ages of Boy Scouts, was
tremendously helpful the day of the event. They brought several
of their tent canopies and helped set them up to provide shade for
the survivor hospitality area. They worked together to help set
more than 1000 luminaria sacks around the track, along with the
words “HOPE” and “CURE” in the stands in preparation for the
Luminaria Ceremony. During the Opening Ceremony, they
presented the Color Guard.
Relay volunteers also discovered that several participants were
actually dance students at area academies. What happened
when they were asked to perform at Relay? Three area dance
academies, with youth of all ages, welcomed the opportunity to
perform! Parents, grandparents and neighbors – some that had
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never attended Relay For Life before – helped fill the bleachers to
watch local talent and learn about Relay.
- PPT: HOR – Youth Engagement
Sounds like a very successful youth engagement campaign to
me! Congratulations to the winner of this year’s Heart of Relay
Award for Youth Engagement… the Relay For Life of Brown
County, Kansas!
WADE
Let’s give one more round of applause for our Heart of Relay
Award winners!
[Applause]
SUSAN
And now, we’re nearly to the end of tonight’s Awards Ceremony…
Up next to recognize our top fundraising individuals in the Division
and then also to present our Spirit of Relay Awards is Steve
Zamzow, Chief Staff Officer for Community Development in the
High Plains Division, and Randy Linduff, Chief Staff Officer for
Field Operations!
-
Music Cue (Paris Ooh La La) :15
Susan and Wade exit
Steve Z. and Randy L. enter
Wade and Susan ready backstage
PPT: Intro slide Steve and Randy
IMAG presenters as they reach podium
STEVE
Good evening Relayers.
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RANDY
It is not only an honor to present this year’s top awards, but also
an inspiration to see all this celebration. Even though fundraising
may not be as easy now as it used to be, we still manage to find
plenty of things to celebrate!
STEVE
That is a testament to the strength of the Relay Community, and
the strength of the stories and the networks that each of you
create in your communities.
RANDY
Without further ado, let’s recognize the top fundraising individuals
in the Division. We will recognize the top five youth fundraisers
and the top 10 adult fundraisers.
STEVE
These folks are the cream of the crop. In the end, Relay For Life
is a fundraising event, and these Relayers lead the way with their
year-round, constant fundraising efforts.
- PPT: Top 5 Youth Fundraisers
RANDY
Here are the top five individual youth fundraisers in the High
Plains Division. If any of you are present, please join us on the
stage.
#5: From the Relay For Life of Washington University, raising
$5,124, Nicholas Fineman!
#4: Raising $5,369… from the Relay For Life of Duval County,
Texas… one of our youngest fundraisers at the age of 2,
L.J. Garza!
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#3: Representing the Relay For Life of Beaumont, Texas and
bringing in $9,025… Maha Aziz!
#2: From the Relay For Life of SMU… Raising an amazing
$25,635… Katie Schaible!
- PPT: Top 5 Youth Fundraisers 2
And now to recognize our top youth fundraiser for 2012… She
hails from the Relay For Life of McKinney, Texas and she raised
$57,670 this year!
Congratulations to Mary McAndrew!
- Top fundraiser gets a moment to speak
STEVE
And now we’ll recognize the top 10 fundraising adults in the High
Plains Division…
- PPT: Top 10 Individual Fundraisers - Adult
#10: From the Relay For Life of North Corpus Christi… Raising
$13,374… Diana Turner!
#9: Raising $14,180 and representing the Relay For Life of Katy,
Texas… David Rainey!
#8: Bringing in $14,500… from the Relay For Life of Allen
County, Kansas… Ina Railsback!
- PPT: Top 10 Individual Fundraisers – Adult 2
RANDY
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#7: From the Relay For Life of Guadalupe County, Texas…
Barbara Behal raising $14,975!
#6: Representing the Relay For Life of Major County,
Oklahoma… Bringing in $15,175… Melissa Durdin!
#5: Again from the Relay For Life of Katy, Texas… Raising
$15,560… Michael Ruggiero!
- PPT: Top 10 Individual Fundraisers – Adult 3
STEVE
#4: With a fundraising total of $15,766… from the Relay For Life
of Bay Area (Baytown), Texas… Robert Botto!
#3: Raising $16,170 and representing the Relay For Life of
Casady School in Oklahoma City… Sarah Beavers!
#2: From the Relay For Life of Leavenworth… raising
$16,314… Stanley Cherrie!
- PPT: Top 10 Individual Fundraisers – Adult 4
And the number one fundraising adult in our division this year…
from the Relay For Life of Douglas County… with a GRAND total
of $35,411… Bob Silipigni!
- Top fundraiser gets a moment to speak
- IMAG presenters
RANDY
Congratulations to our Top Fundraising Individuals!
[Pause]
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The final two awards we will present tonight are the Spirit of Relay
awards. These awards recognize one community volunteer and
one college or youth volunteer who brings other volunteers
together around the mission of the American Cancer Society, and
inspires them to do the same. The Spirit of Relay recognizes
creativity, passion, and effectiveness in supporting the American
Cancer Society mission through Relay For Life activities, and is
the highest Relay honor that we bestow on volunteers.
STEVE
We’ll begin with our Youth Spirit of Relay Award, and I’d like to
read you some remarks from the staff partner who nominated our
winner – just to give you an idea of how special this young woman
is.
Emma is a devoted committee member, team member, and
volunteer to Relay For Life. She is always talking about Relay
and thinking of new ways to get more people involved. She is a
great advocate for the American Cancer Society and is very
passionate about our mission. She has served as Regional Youth
Specialist on our Regional Council and was named the Youth
Volunteer of the Year for our Region last year. This young
woman is a true leader!
This volunteer works with her committee to raise awareness on
campus at Creighton University about cancer and Relay For Life.
This year, her committee made non-alcoholic jello shots and gave
them out with messaging about the importance of getting
vaccinated for HPV. She is always thinking of new and innovative
ways to appeal to college students.
Last school year was Emma’s first year as a Physical Therapy
Student at Creighton. While she was very busy with her school
work, Emma never missed a meeting or a deadline. Emma
worked with another local university Relay to do a Survivor
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Outreach project collaboration. She also designed and presented
the Youth Breakouts at our Regional Summit in 2011.
This volunteer is a resource for her fellow Relayers at Creighton
University and across the Nebraska Region.
Emma is always willing to lend a helping hand wherever it is
needed. She keeps the mission of the American Cancer Society
in mind and represents us well. Emma has such strong loyalty
and dedication to Relay For Life and the American Cancer
Society. When visiting with new committee members in the
middle of the night at Relay this year they said, I want to be on
Emma’s committee, she always has everything so organized and
they have so much fun! Emma is the type of volunteer that you
would love to have on every committee.
[End of quoted remarks]
We now have a video message we would like to share with all of
you and especially our Spirit of Relay honoree, who will soon be
recognized…
- Video: Emma Nelson video
- PPT: Spirit of Relay Youth Award
It is with great honor, that we celebrate the Youth Spirit of Relay
Award winner… From the Relay For Life of Creighton University
in Nebraska… Emma Nelson!
-
Winner takes the stage
Hannah Miller ready backstage
IMAG winner
Winner gets a moment to speak
Award winner exits
IMAG Randy and Steve
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RANDY
Our final award of the evening is the Community Spirit of Relay
Award. And to present the award tonight, we’ve invited a special
guest to join us… Hannah, would you like to join me onstage?
- Hannah enters
RANDY
I’ll let you take it from here.
- Steve and Randy move to back of stage during
Hannah’s presentation
- IMAG Hannah
HANNAH
So I’d like to state a disclaimer before I begin. Normally, my mom
is the one who helps me write my speeches as well as perfect
them…but this time I decided to try to do it on my own so I
apologize for the lack of preparation that may show while I speak.
[Pause for laughter]
- PPT: Hannah’s pictures (7 pics)
So this year’s Spirit of Relay award goes to someone who is
responsible for my being here today. When I was diagnosed with
Cancer in September 2004 at 13 years old, this person had my
back the entire way. They were always jumping at the chance to
help, support and motivate me without question. This person
never lost hope, fighting alongside me through my lowest points
and celebrating at my highest during my treatment.
Before I was diagnosed we participated in Relay for Life, but after
my diagnosis we had another reason to fight back…this time it
was personal. She encouraged people from all walks of life and
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experiences to volunteer in our local Relay for Life in finding a
cure for cancer. This past year she took the iRelay theme from
last year’s Summit and used it to benefit the committee meetings
and add a personal perspective as to why everyone was involved
with Relay. At the beginning of every meeting a committee
member would stand up and share their iRelay story.
Not only does she inspire her fellow committee members, she
goes above and beyond as an advocate for the American Cancer
Society’s mission. She works at a children’s hospital as a family
advocate to help voice the concerns and needs of the parents.
Even though she is asked to participate in other nonprofit work,
the American Cancer Society is always the organization of her
choice. Without fail, she will always say that the reason why is
because not only did the American Cancer Society fund a clinical
trial and drug that saved my life, but the American Cancer Society
does the most good for the most people facing cancer.
- IMAG Hannah
This year, she is transitioning out of her role as the local Relay for
Life Chair and is now focusing her efforts towards helping her
Region rebuild the Regional Council. Now, she would be the first
to say that she shouldn’t be singled out for any recognition…but it
gives me great pride and honor to present this year’s Spirit of
Relay award to the most selfless person I know, my mom DeeJo
Miller.
- PPT: Spirit of Relay Community Award (include RFL
event)
- DeeJo takes stage
- Steve and Randy move back to podium
- IMAG stage
STEVE
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DeeJo, we are thrilled to present you with this award tonight. You
very much deserve it, and we thank you for all that you do – not
only for the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life, but for
those who need you day in and day out.
Congratulations!
-
Winner gets a moment to speak
Randy, Steve, and winners exit
Wade and Susan enter
IMAG emcees
SUSAN
What a great way to end our Awards Ceremony tonight!
Congratulations to all of you who have taken home awards
tonight, but – get ready for the cheese, Wade – you’re ALL
winners in my book!
WADE
I saw it coming a mile away, Susan – no worries about that.
[To audience]
Susan is right, though – we very much appreciate everything you
put in to your Relay For Life event and fundraising efforts,
regardless of whether you take home awards or not! So give
yourself a pat on the back because we THANK YOU!
SUSAN
Now, before we close out tonight’s general session, we invite all
of our Five Star Relay events to come up to the stage to be
recognized one last time!
[May have to coax them up & repeat that we want them to come
up on stage]
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- Five Star events gather on stage for photo opps, etc.
WADE
And while they’re making their way to the stage, we have a few
housekeeping announcements – of course!
- PPT: Housekeeping slide
First, the Relay Stores will be open until 10 PM tonight – and it’s
your last chance to shop!
Also, for information about departing for home tomorrow, be sure
you read the Departure Information Sheet in your registration
materials! There’s lots of great information in there!
SUSAN
In the morning, be sure you allow enough time to check out of
your room and check your luggage in the foyer by Gossip Bar.
No luggage will be allowed in the General Session room because
of space limitations.
WADE
Of course, if you drove, please store your luggage in your car.
SUSAN
Make sure your name and phone number are on your luggage,
too, so we don’t have any inadvertent luggage swaps this year.
Thank you!
- PPT: CPS-3 slide
WADE
And my favorite housekeeping announcement… Don’t forget to
make plans tomorrow to enroll in the Cancer Prevention Study!
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Remember that enrollment will take approximately 20 to 30
minutes, and you’ll have the opportunity to enroll anytime
between 7:00 AM and 1:30 PM in the Chantilly Ballroom Foyer.
SUSAN
So that takes us to the end of our program. Thank you so much
for being here! Feel free to stick around for pictures or to dance
or just to watch everyone else dance, and have a great night!
- PPT: 5 Star Relay banner slide for about 2 minutes
- Music Cue (Blow) PLAY ALL – starts the post-awards
dance music, which is all on the GS 4 Music playlist
- Susan and Wade exit
- PPT: Awards Ceremony logo slide
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