Relay for Life Taking Shape

When more than 700 students, parents, district staff and others gather at Huntington High School Friday night, teacher Joe Cohen will be right in the thick of it all.

Cohen serves as adviser to the student-driven Relay for Life program, which will draw 66 teams with 706 participants to celebrate those who have survived cancer and mourn those who have not.

 Above all, the participants will be doing their bit to fight back, raising, as of Monday night, $135,100.79 to help fight the disease.

 "It’s a good way for the kids to get connected to things that are bigger than themselves," Cohen said.

The high school science teacher segued into the Relay for Life role from his position as adviser to the National Honor Society. Students, he said, pushed for a chance to host and run the American Cancer Society program.

Three seniors, Gabe Goldman, Molly Prep and Nikki Smoot, serve as event chairs.

Planning, Cohen said, "started right after the last one was over" in June 2012.

Throughout the year, students and others have been raising funds, arranging for contributions, enlisting volunteers, preparing tables and setting up the big moment Friday night.

The Relay kicks off at 7 p.m., with a survivors' walk at 7:30 p.m., followed by several other events. Many participants will camp out at the school Friday night.

Among the participants will be two teams of the Walking Warriors, made up of special needs students  led by teachers Patricia Klee, Maureen Yostpille and Erica Murphy.

 Those two teams also are getting help from the Schlitt law firm,  led by the husband-wife team of Carol L. Schlitt and Mark X. Cronin. They said it was only natural to support the Walking Warriors. “Our son John Lee Cronin has Down Syndrome and is a member of the special needs class. We love these kids and jumped at the opportunity to be a part of this great event with them.” 

Also helping the effort is a team from the Huntington Board of Education. You can read about them Wednesday on Huntington Patch.