C.T.S. RELAY FOR LIFE

The biggest cancer event found a home at Central Tech. this year on Friday, May 22nd. This 12 hour, non-competitive relay, invited students, teachers, staff, family, Community Watch Officers and friends to form 10-person teams and take turns walking around the track. Each participant (84 of them this year) paid a $10 registration fee and then raised funds. The goal for our first event was $7,000 which we easily surpassed. A total of $7,891.00 was raised!

Thirty-five students volunteered to help, while many other staff members supported us in other ways. The 9 chairs who organized this event, along with Ms. Machmer, Ms. Knight and Ms. Valladares, felt that it was such a worthwhile fundraiser, they plan to host one next May 28. The nine AFRO-HERITAGE/ME TO WE Student Chairs were Alissa Saieva (event chair), Emerson Abrego, Lily Lazendic, Atina Chang, Chelsie George, Eira Nesbitt-Wood, Jennifer Pinto, Ronika Pasram, and Fatomata Touray. Between 10 am and 10 pm participants enjoyed a light breakfast and BBQ lunch prepared by our own Hospitality students with Mama B’s donating several pizzas for dinner.

Other companies also made donations: Loblaws (granola bars and PC cloth bags), Christie’s cookies, Jay’s Blinds (pens), as well as our own students who designed and printed notepads, Rocco’s Plum Tomato Restaurant (gift certificate), Acme Burgers (gift certificates), George’s Deli and BBQ (gift certificates), Mrs. R. Margolese (5 pieces of artwork), Bloor Cinema (movie passes), and Second Cup (gift basket).

The event started with a Survivor’s Victory Lap, followed by 12 hours of music, games, and entertainment, and concluded with the touching candle light Luminary Ceremony at dusk, in honour of a cancer survivor or in memory of someone who lost his/her life to the disease. Entertainment included Mr. Neuland’s Steel Pan Band, Mimi Tan and her performers and students from Ryerson Community School who performed Capoeira.

Other fundraisers held to augment the money raised included the sale of baked goods, Freezies, cookies and necklaces (hand made by Alissa’s grandfather). We wish to thank everyone who offered us support. And the students, they left the event with more self-confidence, and better leadership and organizational skills. It was worth every inch of effort to do something positive in fighting such a terrible disease.