Banjos and Barbecue

 Yesterday our family volunteered our time to be part of a local fundraiser for the upcoming Relay for Life in Pekin. And of course you can always count on Tremont to be there ... so many people showed up, and a great amount of money was raised for the teams.

The other team is friends and family who rally around another local woman with breast cancer who is a 22 year survivor, including a recurrence about 14 years ago. The team we are part of is actually the team that the bank where Mitch works has put together. They have been doing Relay for Life for several years, but only after my diagnosis did we find the motivation to walk with them and get involved. It was an honor for all of us to help set up and tear down, serve food, serve as a cashier, and other ways to help raise money for the teams. Threatening storms held off until most everyone had arrived, and then we were all safe and dry under the large pavilion at the park during the rain.

So many people in Tremont have faced the cancer beast. Thanks again, Tremont, for always being there to support us.

Tomorrow night is the Relay for Life "Survivor Dinner" where I'll  make a presentation to the crowd about my journey. I have written out my thoughts, and while public speaking isn't my favorite thing to do ... I am honored to have the chance to share my story with an audience of so many people who have walked this path as well.