By Fred Guarino
The Lowndes Signal

The Lowndes County Relay for Life exceeded its goal of $35,000.

According to Event Co-chairman Zandra Colston, as of Tuesday, April 24, “Carnavaling for a Cure” held at the Russell Baseball Complex in Hayneville has a gross fundraising total of $38,000.

Hayneville Mayor Helenor Bell brought greeting on behalf of herself and the five-member Hayneville Town Council.

“Thank you so much for coming out to this occasion. You know Relay for Life has played a very important part in all of our lives,” she said. “If we don’t have someone in our most immediate family that has experienced cancer, we all know someone that has experienced this.”

“Because of Relay for Life and the funds that are being raised, there is another mother that’s still here able to raise her children tonight,” Bell said. “There is another father that’s still here able to raise his children. So we say thank you to the program committee, thank you to Ms. Lakeisha Griffin, thank you to Zandra Colston and thank you to everyone that worked so hard to make this such a great occasion.”

“It’s really great to be able to sponsor this kind of event,” said Tom Tsekoouras, site general manager for SABIC in Lowndes County, who said that his company has been a part of the community for 25 years and celebrating 25 years of operation. “It’s a great community event where we come together to support a very worthy cause, the Relay for Life And we’re just very proud to be the gold sponsor.”

Cassandra Washington, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, gave a tearful testimony.

Cancer survivors who were present to walk the victory lap ranged from five-month to as many as 24 and 40 years. While they took their lap with a big crowd and Hayneville Middle School cheerleaders cheering them on the song “Happy Birthday To Ya” blasted from the sound system.

Awards were presented as follows: Top Fundraising Corporation – Board of Education (BOE) (Educators for a Cure/Bernard Mitchell – Team Captain) $4,148; Top Fundraising Church – Lily Missionary Baptist Church (Lily Fight For Life / Arlean Allen – Team Captain) $4,400; Top Fundraising Organization – New Age Hippy/SWAC (Mary Thompson – Team Captain) $4,100; Top Fundraising Individual – Willie Steiner, $1,200 – member of Macedonia Baptist Church); Best Campsite – SABIC Plastics (Kristy Brown and Deanna Richards – Team Captains); Best Food – DHR Stars (Jacqueline Lee – Team Captain); Last Tent Standing – DHR Stars (Jacqueline Lee – Team Captain); and Spirit of Relay – Pink Flamingos (Laura Gresham – Team Captain).

Sponsor Awards were: Gold, SABIC-IP, $2,500; Silver, Macedonia Baptist Church and Lily Missionary Baptist Church ($1,000 – $2,499); Bronze, Dr. Johnny M. Griffin and Taylor Made Gaming LLC. ($500 – $999); Track Sign, Casey Feed ($300 – $499); Stage, A & P Automotive and Jimmy Davis Auto Repair, ($250-299); and Hospitality, Dr. Thomas Cawthon, Lyn Cawthon, and Eddie Hinson.

The following is a list of survivors (may be incomplete) who participated in this year’s Lowndes County Relay for Life:

Gladys Adams, Mrs. Bell, Linda Booker,Ellenween Brenson, Veronica Bell Brown, Earl Carter. Ashley Cole, Jennifer Cole, Len Collins, Red Crenshaw, Johnnie Davis, Mary Davis, Rosie Lynn Davison, James Dawson, Patricia Farrior , Ella Flucker, Horace Gilchrist, Bennie Gordon, Laura Gresham, Linda Haigler, Linda Hamilton. Queen Hartley, Verdell Hartley, Annie Hayes, Doris Haynes, Nathaniel Hayes, Kim Henderson, Victoria Phillips Hinson, Michele Hollingshead, Emmitt Howard, Leon Howard, Arlinda Jackson, Author Jackson, Earnestine Jenkins, Connie Johnson, Rachel Jones, Sammy Jordan, Doris Kelly, Al Leggs, Maggie Leggs , Areia Lewis, Martha London, Brenda Maddox, Angela Martin, Bessie McMeans, Jill McMeans, Mattie McMeans, Millicent McMeans, Linda McMeans, Lillie McMeans, Mattie McMeans, Amy Moorer, Leonard Nall, Mary Parker, Clifford Porterfield, Ethel Porterfield, Daise Porterfield, Douglas Porterfield, Connie Powell, Tom Pringle, Valeria Reese, Maggie Rivers, Whirley Lee Rivers, Martha Ray, Sandra Robinson, Rosie Rowe, Charlie Sellers, Debbie Simmons, Robert Simmons, Gloria Smith, Janie Smith, Mary Bell Smith, Lee Ernest Steiner, Lois Spann, Louis Spann, Wayne Spann, Rachel Stubb, Dot Taylor , Maggie Glenn Taylor, Sharon Taylor, Floretta Timmons, Tracey Thomas, Timcorien Tolliver, Annie Washington, Cassandra Washington, David Wallace, Stephanie Walker, James Walker, Barbara Williams, Mac Arthur Young.