Family fun fair exciting new addition open to public

More than 400 hundred participants and 35 teams will come together to raise funds for cancer research at the American Cancer Society’s sixth annual Relay for Life of Madison/Florham Park, beginning on Saturday afternoon, June 23, at Madison High School (170 Ridgedale Avenue).

The event will also honor cancer survivors and their caregivers, and pay tribute to those who lost their battles with the disease.

Relay for Life is an overnight celebration in which individuals, teams, families, students, and groups of co-workers barbecue, dance to the music of popular local bands, take turns circling a track relay style, and participate in a host of other scheduled activities.

New for 2012 is a Family Fun Fair open to the public from 4 to 6 p.m., featuring carnival games, crafts, and science/nutrition activities.

See below for event details:

Family Fun Fair

From 4:00-6:00 pm, children and families are invited to attend this exciting new component to Relay. Proceeds from carnival ticket sales will benefit the American Cancer Society. Activities include: tattoos and fishbowl game led by Florham Park Girl Scouts troop #1630; Graffiti wall, girlie booth, bake sale, and popcorn sale led by Florham Park Girl Scouts troop #1015; pie wall donated by Powerhouse Studios of East Hanover; balloon making led by Florham Park resident Timmy Amalfitano; crafts and nutrition game led by Madison Area YMCA; foam painting led by Art Adventures of Madison; science show led by Imagine That!!! of Florham Park; hockey shoot-out, ping-pong toss, stump tug-of-war, spin-art, putt-putt golf, bean-bag game, and nerf-shoot led by Madison Boy Scouts troop #25; and arcade wheel led by the Orloff and Ferriero families of Florham Park.

On-Site Registration

Registration and camp set-up begins at 4:00 pm. All are welcome. For those not yet registered, on-site registration is available for $15 per person. Cancer survivors are especially encouraged to attend.

Opening Ceremony

At 6:00 pm, guest speakers Gerard Longo and Dr. Mark Gleckner will talk about their experiences with cancer. The national anthem will be performed by local resident Amanda Fletcher.

Food and Beverages

The snack shack, hosted by the Madison Fire Department, will be open from 4:00-10:00 pm. A variety of dinner, snack, and drink options will be available for sale. Starbucks from both Florham Park and Madison will provide complimentary coffee for Relay participants throughout the night.

Opening Lap

Cancer survivors and their care providers are invited to celebrate their triumph over cancer by participating in an inspirational Survivor/Caregiver Lap to officially open the Relay at 6:15 pm. The lap will be led by Madison High School Marching Dodgers Band.

Survivor Dinner

Thanks to the generosity of local vendors, survivors and their care providers will dine on a variety of foods and drinks. During the dinner, Grace Church’s Gargoyles, a young men’s a cappella ensemble directed by Dr. Anne Matlack and conducted by P.J. Livesey, and Daughters of Zion, a local girl’s a cappella ensemble, will perform. Sharlys Dugan, a Celtic harpist known from her family’s band Dugan’s Hooligans, will also perform.

Theme Laps

Between 7:00 pm and 4:00 am, Relay teams will circle the all-weather track. Many theme laps are planned, including: Patriotic Lap, sponsored by Los Amigos de Nico; Jump Rope Lap, sponsored by Kelly’s Angels; and Jets Lap (wear anything New York Jets-related and receive a Jets keepsake).

Luminaria Ceremony

At 9:00 pm, the track will be lined with luminaria for a touching ceremony honoring cancer survivors, as well as paying tribute to those lost to the disease. Dr. Anne Matlack will lead the combined choirs in musical accompaniment.

Fitness Activities

Throughout the night, several sports and wellness activities will take place, including: adult vs. kids soccer game officiated by local coach Charlie Malone; wiffle ball game sponsored by Maria’s Team of Hope; Zumba hosted by licensed instructor Andrea Pleckaitis; and Yoga led by local instructor Cheryl Riker.

Entertainment

Between 4:00-10:00 pm, live music will be provided by four local bands: ATR, featuring Madison residents performing classic rock, jazz, blues, and original songs; Running Late, featuring alternative pop rock and funk music by six Madison residents; The Undertakers, Chatham-born musicians who will perform hits from Elvis Presley to the Rolling Stones; and Rosewood, past Relay musicians who will return to perform covers from the Beatles, Neil Young, Sara McLachlan, and others. Starting at 10:00 pm, Dr. D, a disc jockey, will play popular music during the overnight event. Various fundraising activities are planned, such as face painting from 6:00-8:30 pm by Danielle Glancey of Danielle’s Designs; and balloon wishes at 4:30 am.

Closing Ceremony

A special closing ceremony is scheduled for 6:00 am on Sunday, June 24^th. Karen Winick, Special Events Director for the American Cancer Society, Eastern Division, will announce the top fundraising individual and team. Dozens of balloons will be released into the sky.

So far, the 2012 Relay for Life of Madison/Florham Park has raised an estimated $43,000 with a short time to go before Relay. It is not too late to donate, start, or join a team. Members of the public are invited to participate in Relay by registering or donating online at www.relayforlife.org/MadisonNJ. The on-site commitment fee to participate in the overnight event is $15. For information on volunteering or local corporate sponsorship, to find out how to build a team, or to donate, call (800) 227-2345 or visit www.relayforlife.org/MadisonNJ.

Like us on Facebook! Visit Relay for Life of Madison/Florham Park 2012. 

American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society has nearly a century of experience in saving lives and ending suffering from cancer. With a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, the American Cancer Society works to help people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; by offering support after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer; and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.

The American Cancer Society is the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing more than $3.86 billion since 1985. As a result, according to the Society, 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 about the American Cancer Society or to get help, call (800) 227-2345 anytime, day or night, or visit www.cancer.org.