5th Annual SCC Relay for Life Surpasses Goal
By Bob Sanchez
The 5th annual SCC Mini-Relay for Life drew hundreds to St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church on July 29 to raise money in the fight against cancer. The event raised $16,757.39, easily exceeding its goal of $15,000. Co-chair Sarah Baez expects the final number to surpass $18,000.
Connie Lesko originated the Mini-Relay at Freedom Plaza, where she is Business Development Coordinator with the Retired Officers Corp. She directed the event there for four years. This year, she has turned over chairmanship to Brian Bower, an Edward Jones Financial Advisor, and to Sarah Baez, a Senior Care Consultant at CarePatrol. Meanwhile, Lesko continues to provide considerable support to their effort.
“I felt led to start it when my 54-year-old nephew was diagnosed with colon cancer,” she wrote in an email, adding that she has lost him and three other dear friends to cancer since that time. So for her, fighting cancer is deeply personal.
Beverly Gaussiran represented Freedom Plaza at the event.
Thirty-eight teams worked hard to raise the funds by paying for display tables, selling hot dogs, beer, raffle tickets, and bingo cards. Baez enthused that they also had “a wine pull, social media marketing, the remembrance tree at the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce and boots on the ground efforts, and it is all going to the American Cancer Society!”
The organizers made a point of thanking St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church for generously letting the fundraising event use some of its space. Of course with an event such as this, many people pitched in: Tammy Schoonover, Senior Development Manager with the American Cancer Society; Kim Bauer, volunteer extraordinaire; Sean Andrews, Financial Advisor with Edward Jones; Julie Brink, Branch Manager with Lake Michigan CU; Lynne Conlan, Executive Director with the South Hillsborough Chamber of Commerce; Joanne Bassinger, volunteer extraordinaire; Thina Huskey, Realtor with Keller Williams; and members of the St. Andrew Presbyterian Church. “So many people came together to donate their time or resources,” Baez noted.
TOP PHOTO: Mini-Relay founder Connie Lesko, left, with this year’s co-chairs Sarah Baez and Brian Bower.
Receding and Reaching Out
Receding and Reaching Out By E. Adam Porter When you hear phrases like “worst in a century” or “first time in generations,” those descriptors can feel like an abstraction. Sure, they mean something, but is it something we can really fathom? Something we...
October 2024 NEWS is HOT off the Press
In this issue… Take a Brief Trip to Albuquerque, then stroll down memory lane to the beginning of SCC on Cherry Hills, get the latest LRPC Update, save the date for “Hi, Neighbor!”, learn about Little Free Libraries, hear All About the Bees,...
Back to School Back to Nature
Back to School Back to NatureJust the way it should be in Camp Bayou By Gezil Andrews I’ve been in the area three-plus years so Camp Bayou was a new venue for me – After my first visit, this weekend, I rated it “well worth the wait!” I visited the camp...
SEPTEMBER 2024 NEWS is HOT off the Press!
In this issue… Get back to nature, cruise around on three wheels, uncover a secret from the past, meet the SCC Maintenance Team, cheer on some lawn bowlers, cruise on an airboat, read about a hero, and take two different paths to the past. Then...
Firefighters Complete Training, Take Posts
Thirty-four new firefighters started their careers this week with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) after a graduation ceremony in mid-July. In a ceremony at Riverhills Church of God on Friday, the County’s newest firefighters received shields for...
August 2024 NEWS is HOT off the Press
In this issue… Celebrate graduation with new firefighters, relive the fun of the pancake breakfast and pool party, get some “creative junk therapy,” catch up with the Security Patrol, get some education about dementia and human trafficking,...
0 Comments