DEARBORN, Michigan – Things may get a little messy at the Relay For Life of Dearborn this year. Team Dearborn has come up with a unique fundraiser called “Four Pies and A Poncho”, and has enlisted the participation of key figures in the City to make it happen.
“Our Team has set a very high goal this year, to raise $25,000 for the American Cancer Society. At a recent team meeting we were brainstorming fun ways to bring in more donations and to generate some publicity for our Relay on May 12. The result was Four Pies and A Poncho,” said Team Dearborn co-captain Debbie Malyn.
The fundraiser involves five contestants: Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly, Dearborn Superintendent of Schools Brian Whiston, Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak, Dearborn Firefighters Burn Drive Chairman Steve Worden and Dearborn High Principal Chuck Baughman. People vote with donations to the American Cancer Society and the contestant with the most donations in his name “wins” the poncho. The person wearing the poncho will be the focus of some good-natured pie throwing by the other four contestants, each of who “wins” one pie.
So, supporters who want to protect their favorite community figure from being in the “poncho” spot, should vote for any of the other contestants. It is a rare situation: a reverse election! Contestants will be promoting votes for “the other guy”—or the four other guys.
The public can vote online by credit card at the Team Dearborn Relay For Life page . Simply click on “Donate to our Team”, then enter the name of the contestant you are voting for in the Public Donor Wall box. Your name will not be listed publicly, only the name you are casting the vote for will show. You can also vote with cash, checks, or by credit card at the Team Dearborn campsite at the Relay For Life of Dearborn this Saturday, May 12.
Voting will close at 5:00 PM on May 12 and the “pieing” will take place at 5:30 PM at Relay.
“We weren’t sure this would come together, but we’re excited and extremely grateful to our City leaders for being good sports for such a great cause. We hope this will bring a smile to the face of our community and raise awareness and much needed funds for the American Cancer Society through the Relay For Life of Dearborn,” added Malyn. Team Dearborn is working together with the Dearborn High Key Club Relay Team to publicize the fundraiser and gather donations.
The 2012 Relay For Life of Dearborn will be held May 12-May 13, from 10 AM – 10 AM at the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center, 15801 Michigan Avenue and is open to the public. Relay For Life offers everyone in the community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer.
“We invite the public to come out and spend time with our teams that will camp out and walk the track for 24 hours” says Event Chair Alysia Schuler. Moments you won’t want to miss include our Opening Ceremony celebrating survivors and caregivers at 10 AM and our candlelight Luminaria Ceremony, remembering those lost at 10 PM, both on May 12th.
For more information about Four Pies and A Poncho, contact Team Dearborn Captain Debbie Malyn at 313.683.2573 or at [email protected]. For more information on how you can get involved in the Relay for Life of Dearborn, contact Event Chair, Alysia Schuler at 313.408.1264, [email protected] OR Liz Sawielski at 248.663.3406 or [email protected]. You can also find information or start or join a team, by visiting www.relayforlife.org/dearbornmi.
More About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and
end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; by helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more – or to get help, call 1-800-227-2345 anytime, day or night or visit cancer.org.