Lauren Cook: Ventura Relay- The BIG Event

Well, the event that I have been putting so much time and effort into has passed! It went amazingly well and I was so proud to be apart of the event. For months I have been preparing and I must admit, it has been quite a responsibility. As Youth Advocate Director, I have been attending committee meetings for the past three months and I was assigned to create all 30 posters- quite a task! Since it was a Hollywood theme, I was titled the "Set Designer".
It has been such a privilege to get my peers involved with the Relay for Life in Ventura. I had 33 students on my team who each raised a minimum of $100. I was so proud of the teamwork, time, and effort that everyone put into the event. There was no better feeling than to be a leader for so many amazing people and to show them the magic that Relay for Life possesses. Each one attended weekly meetings for the past three months and each made a contribution in his or her own way. Whether it was to help me make posters or to work at the actual relay- I am proud to have 33 new members who are eager to partake in the relay again.
On Friday afternoon I set up all eight of our tents, which was, let's just say- interesting. After doing so, I got ready for the big day ahead!
Early on Saturday morning my team greeted me and we decorated our "Little Mermaid" theme booth. We had all kinds of fish and beautiful decorations, but my favorite part was the hanging bubbles we had. Each one had a name and described whether they were a cancer survivor or if it was in their memory. We had over 40 names, my mom being one of them. It was the perfect touch to our booth. We also had a bubble machine which everyone at the Relay seemed to enjoy- especially the little kids. Not to mention, we had special shirts designed so that our team would be easily recognizable to anyone at the relay.
The opening ceremony was especially nice; there is always a story shared from a cancer survivor. However, there was something new this year that was extremely touching. On the stage were four children, two of them in kindergarten, that all had cancer. It was so hard to watch, but when I heard each of them say, "stay strong", and it was truly touching. After the opening ceremony, it was time for the survivor's lap- which my mom always walks in. However, she wanted me to walk with her since she said I was her caregiver and we held hands during the lap. I was extremely touched by this. Our bond is growing stronger everyday.
During the day we had a great time walking laps- I walked 7.5 miles total. There was live music and everyone there had a wonderful spirit to relay. A highlight was when my mom and dad flew over in the helicopter to take pictures of the relay and our team from the air! Very cool and my team loved this! At 3:00, I was in charge of putting on a "relay pageant". This was a blast! I began by telling everyone of my personal story and how relay has changed my life. I always encourage people to appreciate the life that they have and also to realize that there is hope in any situation. After sharing this, I was excited to see that I had over 20 participants. The first part of the competition was to model their relay fun fashion- they seemed to really enjoy this part! Next was the talent competition, which was hula hooping. Lastly, the contestants came up on stage for an on-stage question. Each answer was very heartfelt and I felt lucky to be surrounded by so many great people. I asked them questions such as, "So why do you relay?", "What's your favorite part of the relay?", and "What advice would you give to people with cancer?". After this, it was time to crown the winner; the judging was based on applause. I gave out many bouquets for the runners-ups the winner received a crown. The winner was very excited and she wore it for the rest of the day.
Later at night was the Luminaria Ceremony. It was touching to hear my mom, aunt, and grandma's names called out. As the bagpiper played, we all walked around the track in remembrance and honor for all those who have had cancer. I always love walking around the track to see all the lit up luminaria bags- each one is a name and a life.
It was a late night- I stayed up till about three in the morning walking. It was exhausting and I still feel really tired. But it is worth the cause and so far this has been the defining experience for my relay participation. I had the opportunity to grow as a leader and to be apart of a program unlike any other to an even greater extent.
That morning at the closing ceremony I was thrilled to find out that our team was 5th place out of 50 teams raising $8,835. Also, I was the highest individual fundraiser, raising over $4,000 on my own. Total, the relay raised over $180,000. What an accomplishment! I feel so blessed to be apart of all of this! It is truly life changing.
Furthermore, I feel blessed to have my title as Miss Teen California International 2007, because it has given me an opportunity to make a greater impact that would have been more difficult otherwise. I have been able to raise an increased awareness and my favorite part is that I have gotten the teens in my community involved in Relay for Life. I feel like I have helped them appreciate community service along with helping to insipre them with a passion for helping others. I feel that my title should not be about how it affects me-but instead how it affects others. As I go on in my year of service I know that I will continue my relay participation, and also long after I have passed on the title. I have been blessed by my platform and I plan on continuing my time and efforts to an organization that is truly inspirational.