By Ross Wilson
SHELBYVILLE,
Tenn. – American Cancer Society volunteers hosted a variety show at 7 p.m. on
April 12 and 13 at Shelbyville Central High School to raise money for the
Bedford County “Relay for Life”.
The
"Relay for Life" is an event sponsored by the American Cancer
Society, and it will begin at 5 p.m. on May 31 and run through noon on June 1.
The event will take place at the Bedford County Agricultural Center in
Shelbyville, Tenn. The local "Relay
for Life" raised $120,000 last year, according to American Cancer Society
Staff Partner Harriet Stewart, who played Lou Lou in the stage show and joined
the organization 15 years ago after losing both her parents to cancer.
“On my
tombstone, I want it to say that she worked for the American Cancer Society
when we found the cure for cancer,” she said.
 |
| Photo by Derrick Hill of The Shelbyville Times-Gazette |
About 70
local volunteers for the American Cancer Society hosted a variety show called
“Hee Haw and Howdy” in April 12 and 13 to raise money and awareness for cancer
research and the "Relay for Life".
The event is on its 37th show and is based on the 1976
television show. The stage show consists
of a variety of acts including gospel music, country music and comedy sketches,
which are interspersed with educational material on cancer awareness and
research.
“I’ve been with the show eight
years,” said Stewart. “I said I wouldn’t make the volunteers do anything that I
wouldn’t do.”
The show raised about $11,000
last year, according to Stewart.
“Hee Haw and Howdy” boasts a
large cast and crew of volunteers, including many who are musically
inclined. The stage show allows for an
opportunity for many of Shelbyville’s local talent to perform for a good cause.
“This year’s ‘Hee Haw and
Howdy’ was a lot of fun, and the music was better than ever,” said audience
member Katie Thomas.
The stage show was also
sponsored by a number of local businesses, which proved “Hee Haw and Howdy” was
an amazing community effort.
One of the
truly heart touching moments of the entire production was when the host of the
stage show asked cancer survivors in the audience to stand up.
The show raised money for
cancer independently until 1995, but it became affiliated with the American
Cancer Society that same year.
Both of these events are only a
small fraction of what is being done for cancer research in the state. Tennessee currently has 24 cancer research
grants totaling almost $9.2 million, and nearly $8 million of that comes from within
Tennessee while the other $1 million comes from out of state.
“Working
for the American Cancer Society has become more of a mission than a job for
me,” said Stewart.
For more
information, go to relayforlife.org/bedfordtn.
###
No comments:
Post a Comment