RELAY FOR LIFE
July 18-19, 2009
Over 1,000 people gathered at the Wong Stadium Saturday night for the 17th Annual American Cancer Society's Hilo Relay for Life. Relay for Life is a 12 Hour Event in which teams of people walk around the track from 6PM-6AM and participate in different activities throughout the night in honor of loved ones who have lost their lives to cancer, to give support to those who are fighting cancer, and to provide hope and funds for a cure. The VIS participated as part of the Mauna Kea Observatories Team led by team captain Vicki Daniel of the Gemini Observatory. More than 20 people from the Mauna Kea Observatories came out to show their support and helped to raise over $3,000 for the American Cancer Society. It was a long night, but VIS staff and volunteers kept a big "Mauna Kea" balloon walking around the track until 6AM to let our support for this function be known. Special thanks to volunteers Dylan Berner, Nick Sterze, and Maury Shimizu for coming out to walk and MKSS and VIS Staff Ron Koehler, Callie McNew, Dirk Haldeman, and Matt Church for showing their support for this great cause.
General Manager, Ron Koehler, blows up 2 giant balloons Over 1,000 people came out to walk the track and
that the Mauna Kea Team will walk around the track participate in dance and aerobic festivities
for the entire 12-Hour Event.
throughout the night.
Observatory staff shows their support by walking laps and creating glow-in-the-dark planets for $5 donations.
Hours to make sure the Mauna Kea balloon was did their part to show support for the Relay for Life!
going around the track. Must have walked 30 miles!
Congratulations -- we've made our pledges and 12 Hours + ~30 miles each = lots of fun times
we've almost made it to our 6AM destination! Thanks for your support staff and volunteers!