City Park begins 15th annual Relay for Life

By JEFFREY SAULTON
PARKERSBURG — Despite the cool temperatures Friday, City Park was filled with the sights and sounds of the 15th annual Relay for Life sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

Friday’s opening ceremony included the debut of the Mid-Ohio Valley Survivors Choir. A local woman’s long hair also was cut off and was donated to Locks of Love to make wigs for those who have lost their hair because of chemotherapy treatments.

Scholarships were awarded to two local students, both of whom are cancer survivors.

Teresa D. Green of Parkersburg had 20 inches of her hair cut off while on the main stage.

Green said the donation was made to help others. “I wanted to do this to be a blessing for someone else,” she said.

Green began to grow her hair four years ago for her wedding.

“I wanted to grow my hair so I could have it in a traditional Navajo style for my wedding,” she said.

Her hair was cut and the remaining hair was restyled by Renee Cox of Headlines and Hair Systems in Parkersburg. Cox, along with Jennifer Drake and Stephanie Strong, spoke about the society’s “Look Good, Feel Better” program that helps women with cancer look their best.

Carmen Hathaway, volunteer committee chairwoman, said about 2,000 attended the program despite the cooler than usual temperatures in the park and the rain that fell earlier in the week that left many areas of the park soaked.

During the ceremony, Hathaway had disappointing news for the crowd when she announced the grand marshal for the parade Janet Packard was too ill to participate in the parade.

Hathaway said those in the relay were there for a specific purpose.

“We are here so we won’t have to be here next year,” she said. “So cancer will not take any more lives.”

Scholarships were presented to Lacey Sweeney and Jessica Springman. Sweeney received her third scholarship from the American Cancer Society and Springman received her fourth. Both are survivors of cancer.

Sweeney, who is a student at West Virginia University, is a two-year survivor. As a senior in high school she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Springman was diagnosed with leukemia in 1989 when she was 11.