The Alternative Press

NEWTON, NJ – Hundreds of Sussex County residents participated on Saturday in the Relay For Life of Greater Sussex County.

More than 417 participants among 56 teams raised $75,951 so far to fight against cancer, and benefit the American Cancer Society.

The Relay For Life of Greater Sussex County began late Saturday afternoon, and will continue through Sunday at Sussex County Community College.

The event began with an opening ceremony at 4:00pm, followed by a Survivor lap and dinner. The Luminaria Ceremony took place at 9:00pm, with walkers holding candles, which flickered in the darkness. Throughout the night, participants will walk various laps with different themes, their pathway guided by the luminarias. There will be a Chicken Dance Lap, Backwards Lap, Zumba! Lap, and Wake Up! Lap throughout the event.

During the evening, many walked silently, holding candles as they strolled along the luminaria path, while an occasional song would break out from a pair of bagpipers.

The Relay For Life concludes with the final lap at 6:30pm on Sunday.

The opening ceremony kicked off with words of encouragement from event chairs, and, Sussex County Freeholder Director Phil Crabb read a proclamation from the Sussex County Board of Chosen Freeholders. Proclamations were also on display from Fredon Township, the Town of Newton, Stanhope Borough, and Wantage Township.

Crabb could relate with the cause, he said, with cancer having touched both sides of his family.

“God bless those who are battling this terrible disease, and, God bless all of you who have stood up for these people,” Crabb said.

Town of Newton resident, Hank Pomerantz, the top fundraiser for the event, raising $3,295, said, “We have to keep on fighting until no one hears those words, ‘you have cancer.’”

Following the opening ceremony, survivors were the first to line up, donning special purple t-shirts, and walking the first lap, while being cheered on by other participants. As the survivors readied to take the first steps in the walk, a group of doves were released, flying high above the crowd, while the Gloria Gaynor song, “I Will Survive”, played in the background.

After the survivors took their walk, caregivers took the next lap, and then all other participants.

“This is so fun to be here,” said Lisa Martinelli of Respectfully Yours White Dove Release.

Martinelli was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1996 at the age of 30, and was told she only had a 20 percent chance of survival.

At the time, her daughter was only six months old, and doctors told her to “go home and make arrangements.”

Instead, Martinelli finished chemotherapy at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ, and her daughter is now 17 years old.

“I’m so blessed to be here,” said Martinelli.

Click here to access the Relay For Life of Greater Sussex County website.