Plans are already well underway for a mini Relay for Life event at Westview School in Estevan thanks to a few ambitious ECS students and a willing elementary school partner.
"Every year we select a different school to participate and this year we asked Westview," said Jayden Dayman, who is joined by Kyla Deitz in doing the logistical work that will put the relay together on the afternoon of May 18 at Westview.
Dayman, a Grade 11 student at the Comprehensive School, has been logistics chairman for the Relay for Life event for the past two years while Deitz, has been a leader with the luminary committee for four years and a team member for one.
"We've seen the campaign grow over the years and we wanted to be a part of it," said Deitz.
The mini-relay will be conducted much like the real one, with a luminary parade for cancer survivors.
"It's run much like the actual relay only a condensed version over a half-day," said Dayman, noting that the actual Relay for Life is an evening, overnight and early morning event that will be taking place June 9 and 10.
The miniature relay will be conducted at the Westview playground and will include the school's more senior students (Grade 5 to 8) for the actual walk.
The students will be seeking pledges at each grade level and Dayman and Deitz will visit them to provide information on this fundraising activity. The pledges gathered at the mini-relay will be presented at the actual relay.
"We'll be recommending that they (young students) wear their Relay for Life T-shirts that we'll give them when they go fundraising, so donors will know it's legitimate," said Dayman.
While the senior students will be doing the actual relay walk, all students of Westview will be invited to join the luminary ceremony.
Deitz said ECS will be entering a 12-member team in this year's Relay for Life and she's happy to assist in teaching the youngsters how to run their own relay event. They'll have their first visit with the Westview students on the morning of May 8.
The two ECS students said over $20,000 has been raised through the elementary school events over the past three years. Invitations will be extended to family members and cancer survivors to join in as well when Westview holds their event.
