Relay For Life 2009

Yesterday was the big day, and I'm still recovering today. My drenched butt didn't get home till after 4 this morning, and I'm tired as hell and sore all over. But it feels good.

We got rained out once again (although, I actually wasn't responsible for calling it... and it stopped raining around 1 maybe? 2? And by 3 there was nothing. I was sort of disappointed). Yet, even with that setback, we managed to get almost everything in.

The sun actually came out for a while, and most of the afternoon proved to be beautiful. Survivor/Opening Ceremony went off without a hitch, laps and activities went as smoothly as could be expected. There were people playing football and volleyball. Our DJ was awesome. There was singing, laughing, food, fun all over. I didn't get to partake in too much of that, but it was good to see everyone else enjoying it.

Around 8 or so, my uncle told me the weather didn't look too good. I pow-wow'd with my Luminary committee, and after JUST telling them how great they were, and how much pressure they took off the rest of us, and how my co-chair and I never for a minute worried about what they were doing, I told them to do the ceremony at 9:00 instead of 10:00. By this time it was 8:30. The look of shock didn't go any farther than that, and with the help of half the stadium, we got all those bags--almost 1700--out around the track. 20 lighters and some sprinting around the field later, those bags were all lit. The speaker was even able to make it back and we started pretty much right at 9. It was awesome, and the Luminaria Ceremony, as always, perfect.

[If there is one thing you must experience, at least once, it would be this ceremony. It's one of the most touching and emotional things I've ever taken part in. And that sensation, those emotions, are never dulled no matter how many I've done.]

Then the rain came. And some thunder and lightning. And more rain. And everyone left. Well, almost everyone. My ACS chair and I were the last to take off after finally getting some ghetto children to vacate the premises. (Yes, we actually got some participation from "kids" this year! But now this means we're going to have to really stay on top of those chaperone forms, because said kids should not have been there by themselves. And I don't do babysitting for strangers.)

So now it's over, and I'm left feeling a little... I dunno. Hah. At first, I had this feeling of accomplishment. But there's something tarnishing that, and I'm not sure what it is. I had many people come up to me yesterday and thank me. Not only Committee Members or Team Captains, but some perfect strangers. Friends and family congratulated me for a job well done. One of my teammates informed me that if given the option, she'd have a son just like me. (Hehe, how awful would that be, the poor boy!) I had people thank me for bringing them together, for introducing them to new friends, for helping them through difficult times.

And here I am, with a team that has raised $10,000.00 (okay, we're like $400 short, but I've got 3 months so you damn well better believe I'm going to find a way to make it happen), in charge of an event that's raised over $49,000.00 ($6,000 more till our goal!! Granted, a little tougher to raise in 3 months, but still doable). A good 85% of the program got done! Smiles and all, despite the weather...

I should still feel proud right now, ya? I should smile (haha, okay, well I am smiling), and feel like I did as great a job as I keep telling everyone else they did.

I wanted to help people, to make a difference. I guess I did...

And I want to do it again.