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03/29/2017 08:30 AMFrom piling into a flatbed truck to sing carols door-to-door, to pulling out all the stops at an annual fundraiser at Sheppard’s Tavern in Guilford (coming Thursday, April 27), team Creekers for a Cure finds creative ways to stay in the lead as top fundraiser for Relay for Life of the Shoreline.
With just over 40 days left to go until the relay arrives at Walsh Intermediate School (WIS) on Saturday, May 13, Creekers for a Cure is once again leading the pack among 21 teams signed up. What’s even more important to team founder and captain Susan Greenvall is encouraging new teams to sign up, and more people to come out and support this amazing, uplifting event.
“I wish we could encourage more people to come out and get involved,” she says. “I’m always so excited to fundraise for it, and I get excited for the event. But sometimes when I’m there I think, ‘Why aren’t there more people here, and more teams?’ So I love talking it up.”
The relay is geared to draw participants from Branford, North Branford, East Haven, Guilford and Madison. Right now, there’s still plenty of time to register a team, make an online donation, or mark your calendar to come out for a great day.
This year’s event is Saturday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at WIS, 185 Damascus Road. It includes activities and events planned for the crowd and special moments set aside for a Survivors Lap, Caregivers Lap, and an evening Luminaria Ceremony honoring those who have lost their battle or are keeping up the fight.
“It’s so impactful and so awesome,” says Susan. “I really want to encourage more people to come—either survivors, caregivers, or teams to walk it, or people to just come out and applaud for them.”
Each year, Relay for Life takes place in more than 5,200 communities in 27 countries around the world. It’s the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Susan’s been a supporter of Relay for Life for many years, and not just in Branford. A Creeker (resident of Stony Creek) since 1994 who’s in her 12th year teaching special education at Daniel Hand High School in Madison, Susan signed up for her first Relay when she was a teacher in Meriden.
“I did this years ago in Meriden and I loved it,” she says. “So I was sad when I came here and it was gone.”
At the time, Relay for Life of the Shoreline was a fledgling event that got its start in Guilford and grew to include Madison, then Branford, and finally North Branford and East Haven (in 2015). In the years before relay moved to its annual location at WIS, it was held in Guilford and also took a turn in Madison, where Susan heard about it an quickly signed up.
“When it came to Madison, I started a teachers’ team. Then, when it moved to Branford, I thought I’d try to gather a team of my friends,” she says.
Armed with a great idea and great friends to support it, it didn’t take long for Susan to establish Creekers for a Cure more than five years ago. One of their very first fundraisers involved trucking a bunch of them around Stony Creek for a caroling spree. The fun night raised money and helped launch the team’s reputation for “doing some pretty crazy things to fundraise,” says Susan, laughing.
Since then, the team of about 14 members has raised more than $30,000 for ACS through Creekers for a Cure at Relay for Life of the Shoreline. This year’s goal is to raise another $5,000.
“One year, we raised $10,000, which is pretty amazing, when you think about it,” says Susan. “It seems like we’re always neck and neck with a few of the same teams as top fundraisers!”
To help put them over the top this year, Creekers for a Cure will once again take over Sheppard’s Tavern at 5 Water Street in Guilford for the team’s annual Relay for Life fundraiser. The event takes place Thursday, April 27, from 4 to 9 p.m. featuring beer specials, free snacks, live music, raffles, games, and a cash bar.
This will mark the fifth annual event at the tavern and the team has worked hard to make it another great night. The raffle includes many substantial prizes donated by area business, while live music will be donated by Guilford’s Bill Welch followed by a night of rock donated by guitarist/vocalist Paul Battles (known locally from Branford’s The Syndicate).
“Paul plays awesome rock and roll, so we’re hoping to pack to the place,” says Susan.
Susan also wants to thank those who have supported other fundraising efforts of the team this year, including those who recently came out to dance to live music at The Stand in Branford on March 17, when a portion of proceeds were donated to Creekers for a Cure.
Creekers for a Cure has become an exceptional fundraising force through the years, but Susan says any group or individual willing to start a Relay team shouldn’t hesitate to get involved, and raise any amount they can to help ACS. While the shoreline event often draws high school teams from Guilford and Madison, Susan said she’s like to see more teams of high schoolers from Branford.
“What’s really cool is seeing the high school teams,” she says. “In the past, Madison’s been really well-represented and Guilford has had really good representation, but not Branford. I think it used to be held around the time of prom in Branford, but it’s not anymore! I really want to encourage Branford High School kids to get involved this year.”
Teams gather for many reasons, with many motivated by someone who has been touched by cancer. While that’s not the reason Susan first signed on to support Relay for Life all those years ago, there have been milestones through the years that have helped underscore the need to find a cure.
“The reason why I got involved was not because of a person or friend with cancer, but since I’ve been involved, I know many people who have been affected, in many ways,” says Susan. “The reason I started the Stony Creek team was because my friend lost her husband that year to esophageal cancer. We’ve also had other people join us since then who have a personal connection. Cancer is everywhere.”
ACS Relay for Life of the Shoreline takes place Saturday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. at Walsh Intermediate School, 185 Damascus Road, Branford. To register a team, make a donation or find other information, visit http://relay.acsevents.org, email annmarie.moreira@cancer.org, or call 203-563-1537.