Relay for Life ~ Pick-a-Prize Raffle

For those visiting to see what last year's prizes included, please continue reading. I am also providing a link below for this year's Relay for Life Pick-a-Prize Raffle, 2011. Your support of my efforts to raise money for the Green Island Relay for Life benefiting the American Cancer Society is greatly appreciated. Whether you are a business who is considering a donation, or someone interested in purchasing a raffle ticket - all donations help! Less Cancer ~ More Birthdays ~ it's all we can hope for.

http://deciannibrown.blogspot.com/2011/03/relay-for-life-pick-prize-raffle-2011.html

Have you ever gone to a Relay for Life? Somehow, this event can evoke a whole assortment of feelings ~ sadness, happiness, hope, pride in accomplishment to name a few (oh yeah, and sheer exhaustion if you walk the night away!). It has it’s moments of overwhelming as well. But it is the single most wonderful event that I refuse to miss.

We Celebrate in the Survivor Lap which kicks off the event; we Remember during the Luminaria Ceremony ~ a very emotional time; and Fight Back Ceremony, pledging to fight the disease. It’s not all sadness though, there’s music and dancing, “camp” sites set up, laughing and comradery.

In Green Island, Maryellen & Michele are the tag team leaders along with a team of committed volunteers plan for what seems like an entire year to pull of the extravaganza. The logistics to pull together the event are too many to even think about. But year after year since they took it over, they seem to eat, drink and breath the Relay. They don’t just pull it off in an ‘okay’ way ~ they pull it off in a GRAND way! Their efforts are endless!

Besides pulling together all the logistics, they are out there at promoting the Relay for Life and visiting other Relays to support others. They can be found at Panera’s selling things from the Relay store, at Colonie Center Wrapping Up Cancer over the holidays, and the big prom they plan – The Gaudy Gala. Check it out on Facebook if you're interested in attending!

This year's event is being held on Saturday and Sunday, June 5 and 6. I decided to up my ante in my fundraising goals. In addition to general donations that can be made on my Relay for Life page, I have also organized a Pick-a-Prize Raffle with some great prizes! Some of these prizes have been donated by friends and family. Take a minute to review the list and check out some of the pictures:

~ 2-night stay at the Howard Johnsons in Midldetown/Newport, Rhode Island. Less than 3 miles from the beach and famous mansions. http://www.newporthojo.com/

~ $75 Gift Certificate Arbonne, donated by Pat Ritrovato, Arbonne Consultant

~ $25 Gift Certificate to Salty's Bistro & Pub http://www.saltyspub.com/

~ 2, 30-minute Massages by Nicole Stone LMT. If you are interested in booking an appointment with her, contact her at (518) 577-0641. Nicole will also be donating her services at the Relay for Life. She will be bringing her massage chair to the Relay for Life and providing massages. All donations go to the RFL.

~ 1 Day Pass to Six Flags Great Escape and Waterpark ($40 value)http://www.sixflags.com/greatEscape/index.aspx

~ $25 Gift Certificate to Valente's in Watervliet http://www.valentesrestaurant.com/

~ Woodbury Common Outlets souvenir tote bag filled with goodies form select stores ($100 value)

~ $25 Gift Certificate to Bomber's Burritos http://www.bombersburritobar.com/main.html

~ 4 Tickets to a TriCity Valley Cats home game (excludes 4th of July) http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t577

~ $50 Gift Certificate to The Melting Pot (donated by the Crossgates Mall location) http://www.meltingpot.com/

~ $25 Gift Certificate to Delmonico's in Albany http://www.delmonicositaliansteakhouse.com/

~ Adult Membership to Cohoes Community Center (a $277 value) http://www.cohoescommunitycenter.org/

~ Eagles Crest Golf, 2 18-hole rounds of golf

~ Overnight stay for 2, Friends Lake Inn, (a $270 value) Chestertown.

~ 2, $25 Cheesecake Factory Gift Certificates

~ Limited Edition Print, Framed. Artist, Corlis F. Carroll, 1968 Heatly Graduate. Original image was a 16 x 20 oil on linen. Subject, Monhegan Island, Maine where Corlis spends her summers.

~ $40 Gift Certificate to Moscatiello's Restaurant in Troy ~ the best taste of Italy in this area (next to my mamma's, of course). If you're never been, you should see what you're missing. Visit their website to check out their extensive menu and catering services: http://www.moscatiellos.com/

~ Family 4-pack to the Rudy A. Ciccotti Family Recreation Center in Albany. It consists of 4 day passes (one day pass is used per person per day and is a $10 value each), a water bottle, a t-shirt, and a nylon drawstring bag. Rudy www.ciccotticenter.org

~ 3-month membership to NY Boxing in Cohoes. Find out more about NY Boxing, become a Fan on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cohoes-NY/NY-BOXING/260232213770?ref=search&sid=716768123.2440132988..1

~ Cheesecake donated by Cakes by Steve (Steve Mopey McHargue) - if you're interested in ordering a cake from him, email him at eirv36@yahoo.com including "Cake" in your subject line. Here's a photo of his award-winning cake from a recent competition.

Party-lite Gift Basket donated by Tomasine Heffern, Party-lite consultant. Party-lite is a dedicated sponsor to the Relay efforts. Last year's survivor gift bags included candles donated by Party-lite.

~ An autographed copy of Mighty Inspirations – Love Letters from God, written by Barbara Bernard Miller. Barb is a great friend of mine that we met as pen pals years ago ~ this book is a very special read.

~ Gift Basket donated by At Your Service, which includes a gift certificate for a free hour of service. Pam and Mike Howard are dedicated to helping you make your life a little easier with their concierge business. Check out their website for their listing of services.

~ Mead Basket donated by Jason & Jennifer Russ of Fox Hill Mead in Asheville, NC. The basket will include a specialty bottle of Blackberry Mead and a bottle of Spiced Mead. To learn more about how you can order from them, visit the Fox Hill Mead website or become a fan of theirs on Facebook. (Due to the nature of this prize, the winner must be at least 21 years of age.)

~ Mary Kay Cosmetics Spa Basket, donated by Anita Halse DeCelle.

~ $25 Gift Certificate to Carol’s Place in Troy.

~ Hand-embroidered pillow cases by Anna DeCianni. To brag a little, my mom is an embroidery artist ~ she's also a survivor, and pink is her theme color.

~ New York Yankee Fleece Quilt

~ Boston Red Sox Fleece Quilt

~ Colorful Quilt

~ Design Your Own Quilt – you can select the colors, square styles, and pattern type

The tickets are $1 each or 12 tickets for $10. If you are interested in taking a chance on one of the prizes, please let me know. I have started to sell the tickets. There will be a couple prizes that are going to be added in the next week. Tickets will be on sale through the day of the Relay on June 5. If you're interested in purchasing tickets, send me an email. Thanks for support my Relay for Life efforts.

I am also continuing to sell Christmas ornaments. Yes, Christmas 2009 has passed ~ but you can have them made to order and give them out as Christmas gifts for 2010, and help a wonderful cause at the same time. Ornaments are $6 each (if I have to mail them, I’ll have to add on a couple dollars for the postage). You select the colors you would like to have them done in. These are a few samples of ones that I have made.