Survivors lead the relay during an emotional Survivors Lap around the Patterson Fire Department grounds
PATTERSON – The weatherman cooperated with golden sunshine and pleasant breezes on Saturday as hundreds participated in the Relay for Life in Patterson.
The 8th annual event raised more than $200,000 for the American Cancer Society upping the total garnered for cancer research to more than $800,000 since the first relay was held in northern Putnam in 2009.
Tracey Walsh, a cancer survivor and one of the organizers of the Putnam Relays for Life told opening ceremonies that “We are a community unified to fight cancer. Many heroes are found each day in the fight against cancer. There are the survivors, caregivers, doctors, donors and personal heroes.”
The 2017 Relay was held in memory of four long-time supporters of the American Cancer Society who lost their battles during the past year – former State Trooper and Patterson Town Justice John King, Erin Bentivenga, Nicole O’Brien and Kristi Hajkowski.
Prior to the lighting of the relay torch and the cutting of the ribbon kicking off the Survivor’s Lap, Walsh told the audience of some 500, “We will light up the day and finish the fight against this horrible disease that has affected every family in Putnam County.”
