Relay for Life of Riverview in Oakmont seeks to raise $87K

Hundreds of people are expected to celebrate cancer survivors with live music, food trucks, face painting and more at Riverside Park in Oakmont on May 20.

Relay for Life of Riverview, a fundraising event through the American Cancer Society, is returning for its 23rd year. Organizers hope to raise $87,000 for cancer patient services and cancer research. The event lasts from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“It is an event where all communities across the world come together to honor and celebrate and remember loved ones, and take action for life-saving change in the fight against all different types of cancer,” said Aly Weifenbaugh, American Cancer Society development manager.

Weifenbaugh said fundraising helps support a 24/7 cancer helpline, transportation and lodging during cancer treatments as well as an online survivor support platform, which are free. According to the event’s website, the event already had raised more than $77,000 as of May 10.

Joanne Clark, 58, is part of the event’s nine-person leadership team. This year she focused on recruiting food trucks, which she is excited for people to try out from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. There’s ice cream from Sweets for the Street, along with pizza, chicken tenders and french fries from Knapp-Kins.

Clark got involved in relays when her husband was diagnosed with cancer. Even though he passed away almost nine years ago, she remembers how much he loved walking the survivor lap, which is scheduled for 10 a.m. this year. A luminaria ceremony is at 8:15 p.m.

“I just love seeing everybody come and enjoy and celebrate the survivors. The survivor lap is just so impactful. When you see all the survivors walk together, it’s wonderful,” Clark said. “The other thing is the luminaria ceremony, and that comes at dusk and the whole field is lined with lighted luminaries. And it’s in memory of somebody that was lost to cancer or in honor or support of somebody going through cancer treatments, and they actually read the names out.”

The event also hits close to home for Weifenbaugh, who started at the American Cancer Society in 2021. Her family organized a team, Plum Plays A Part, in honor of Kathi Bukva, her grandmother, who was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago and is now cancer-free.

“So we look forward to seeing my grandma walk in the cancer survivor lap every year and kind of just go there to support her, and cheer her on and fund raise money,” she said.

Riverview Dek Hockey, home of the Riverview Raptors youth teams, is also hosting Hockey for Life to benefit Relay for Life of Riverview. While their tournament lasts from May 17 through May 21, they will have a ceremonial puck drop at the Riverview Dek Rink at 10 a.m. on the day of the relay to honor two family members who are battling cancer.

Shannon Porter, the group’s treasurer, said they hope to raise $7,000 this year to add to the more than $25,000 they’ve raised since starting Hockey for Life in 2015. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased any day during the tournament.

Porter said that there are almost 20 baskets to raffle off, including an authentic signed Jake Guentzel puck and mini helmet.

“Each year, watching the best dek hockey players compete for not only the championship, but to show their support for a great cause, is what makes all the time and energy put in worth it,” she said.

Relay for Life started in 1985 when Dr. Gordon “Gordy” Klatt walked for a day around a track in Tacoma, Wash., to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Besides a year hiatus in 2020 due to the covid-19 pandemic, the relay has been a constant in Riverview since 2000.

“We’re still in that regrowing phase from the pandemic,” Weifenbaugh said, “and we’re excited about trying to regrow the event to what it used to be and hopefully get more people involved, and get everyone to come out and kind of take the action in the fight against cancer.”

People can sign up for the event at www.relayforlife.org/pariverview, and participants aren’t required to raise a certain amount of money.