Relay for Life painted Kutztown Fair purple on Thursday, Aug. 14, for Cancer Awareness Night.
‘This is the first year we’ve been at the fair,’ said Kutztown Relay for Life Event leader Tom Cengeri. ‘We’re excited.’
Kutztown Fair Association invited Kutztown Relay for Life to the fair to celebrate Relay and to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.
‘They wanted to do their share in helping us to promote this event (2015 Kutztown Relay is May 29 and 30 from 3 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Kutztown University). They wanted to do something for the community,’ said Cengeri, who noted that the 2014 Kutztown Relay raised more than $155,000 for the American Cancer Society and they are still raising.
‘It makes us feel awesome!’ he said about the fundraising figure. ‘A lot of that money doesn’t just stay here in Kutztown. It does help people in all forms of cancer, giving people rides to therapy, goes toward the Hope Lodge… it helps in so many ways, like with wigs.’
Kutztown Fair volunteers and vendors and attendees were asked to wear purple to support Relay.
‘It’s great. They’re wearing purple shirts for Relay and cancer,’ said Cengeri. ‘So we’re excited.’
An informational booth was set up as well as children’s games in the Folk Art building at the Kutztown Fairgrounds. Relay also raffled off baskets.
‘We had a group going around as gypsies playing music, with purple buckets to collect spare change for the American Cancer Society,’ said Cengeri.
That Thursday night also, Relay volunteers hosted a luminaria ceremony. ‘We remember people that have passed from cancer and celebrate the survivors,’ he said.
Their hope was to raise awareness about Relay and provide information on how to prevent cancer and what they can do to help those who have cancer, said Cengeri.
Also new this year was the first potpie cook-off contest, ‘which is extremely unique to the Kutztown area,’ said Lolly Lesher, Publicity Volunteer for Kutztown Fair.
People could sample the potpie entries. Proceeds funded the contest and the remainder benefited the American Cancer Society.
