Topaz Relay for Life team practices

A rainbow, in a full arch, appeared over the Antelope Valley, stretching from the Sweetwater Range to the Pine Nuts, last Tuesday night. I had just come back from the Topaz Landing & Marina where there was a meeting to finalize the plans for the Relay For Life event to take place Aug. 4 and 5 at Lampe Park in Gardnerville. I was getting ready to lay down and rest when a warm orange glow of light filled the bedroom and drew my attention to the south facing window. To me, the sight of the vibrant rainbow, the warm peach to orange colored hues of light on the Sweetwaters reflected a promise of good things to come.

This is the second year for the 26-member team of the Topaz Cure-Aiders to participate in Douglas County's Relay for Life.

Some of the team members are cancer survivors themselves, some are in the process of battling the disease, some have had friends or family members (survivors or lost to the disease), all have been touched in one way or another.

Next week the Topaz Cure-Aiders will join 43 other teams at Lampe Park in an effort to raise funds for the American Cancer Society, to honor cancer survivors who have fought the disease and won, and to remember those who lost their fight against the disease.

Bonnie Keesecker was team captain for the 2006 Relay for Life. She was a volunteer firefighter and EMT working out of Station 5, Topaz Lake Volunteer Fire Department. She worked in the community with the elderly, doing yard work, cleaning and running errands. She volunteered for Project Santa Claus and worked on food drives. This year, instead of being the team captain, she is fighting her own battle against cancer.

Although unable to be the captain, she is still helping the team as much as she can.

This year's team is made up of residents from Topaz Lake, Holbrook Highlands, Topaz Ranch Estates and Holbrook along with seven ladies from Reno, regular visitors to the Topaz Landing who supported Linda Fields with her cancer battle.

Kathi Shoemaker, a 38-year survivor of cancer, is this years captain. Team member Fields, who will be able to mark off two years of survival from the disease in a month or two, was the reason the Topaz Cure-Aiders formed a fundraising team last year as Linda underwent months of aggressive chemotherapy and still walked the course in the opening ceremony for 2006. This year, Linda is one of the active team members.

To help raise funds the Topaz Cure-Aiders will be selling hats, visors, pins, and T-shirts. They will also offer a picture taking opportunity for children who will be able to dress up in real firefighting gear and look like the real deal and maybe a surprise visit from Smokey Bear.

The team will sell lemonade, iced tea and cold bottled water during the day and hot chocolate, coffee and cider during the night. They will have a dunk tank where local East Fork Fire & Paramedic Districts officials, Capt. Scott Fraser, Capt. Dave Fogerson and Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshal Steve Eisele, along with other volunteer firefighting personnel, will get a chance for a cool dip in the tank from those who have a good aim with a ball.

They will also be selling raffle tickets for many great prizes.

Planning to top the 2006 amount of $3,300 raised, the team has already raised $1,700 and the relay is still a week away.

Anyone who might not be able to attend the relay but would still like to contribute to the fundraiser can bring their donations to the Topaz Landing & Marina or call the marina at 266-3550, contact a team member, or call team captain Kathi Shoemaker, 266-3835.

We can all help keep the promise of hope that the rainbow signifies. We can all help make the promise of a cure for cancer a reality and until next week... may we all just keep on keepin' on.

-- Jonni Hill can be reached through The Record-Courier at jhill@recordcourier.com or by calling 782-5121, ext. 213, or JHILL47@aol.com.