The students and staff at Wellington Heights Secondary School are ready to run laps around cancer.
The school will host its 15th annual Relay for Life cancer fundraiser on June 7, with a committee run by students responsible for putting together the fundraising efforts and the event itself. Teacher and supervisor for the event, Adam Norton, says the event means a lot to the school and surrounding community.
"Our school's a small school, so we have a lot of connections to the past and a lot of alumni who have connections to cancer, as well. So that's why this year, the idea and our slogan is we want to 'Unite and Fight Against Cancer.' We're getting a lot of alumni, a lot of businesses in town, to contribute to help us 'Unite and Fight Against Cancer.' Any amount that we fundraise goes right to cancer research and support for cancer patients," Norton shared.
With the entire event put together by students, Norton says he's always so impressed and proud of the sacrifices the students make to make the event possible.
"These are kids in senior classes that are super busy and they take this on because it's important to them, but it's completely student run. We have a committee of about 18 people that have been working nonstop since the Easter holiday weekend to get this ready. It's a lot of work at different times and so many kids step up to help out and it's because it means so much to them," Norton said proudly.
Norton himself has a very personal connection to the disease, which adds to the incredible pride he feels when the event rolls around at WHSS, now going 15 years strong, as the school celebrates its 20th anniversary, as well.
"I met a young student today, that I kind of know, but I just discovered she has two relatives fighting cancer right now. On her own, without being asked and completely separate of any of this, she raised $1,000 from two bake sales to fight against cancer. Nobody asked her to do that. That's what this event means to people here, and it just means everything to me. My dad passed from cancer many years ago and didn't get to meet his grandson, and so to me, it just means every moment, and every stride we make to fight the disease, it's special," Norton enthused.
The event will run this year from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Friday, June 7, and the public is welcome to come do some laps, get some food and make a donation if possible starting at 3:30. The school is nearing a fundraising goal of $36,444 dollars.
To donate you can also go online and give to the WHSS Relay for Life event here: https://support.cancer.ca/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLY_NW_odd_?pg=entry&fr_id=29700
