Joe Gerace, left, Dorothy Schlaggel and Justin Calarco-Smith share a passion for helping cancer victims. As members of the Genesee Cancer Assistance Board of Directors, they took time to speak with me today about the upcoming Festival of Hope and 5K walk/run, the organization's major annual fundraiser.
Batavia Downs, at 8315 Park Road in Batavia, will host the event on Friday, June 3.
The 5k walk/run
The 5k walk/run is a new feature that was added to the Festival of Hope two years ago.
Registration starts at 4 p.m., followed by a "Lap of Honor" for cancer survivors at 5:45 and the official race at 6:15.
Schlaggel, an honorary board member and founder of Genesee Cancer Assistance, said this is not really going to be a "race," per se.
Calarco-Smith agreed.
"The competitiveness is still there," he said, "but it will be a competition to see who can raise the most money, not who gets to the finish line first."
People can run in teams or individually, and they can have people sponsor them or sponsor themselves.
Kids and adults of all ages are encouraged to participate.
"It's a family oriented event," Schlaggel said. "We want families to get involved because we help families."
Gerace, who is the Treasurer of Genesee Cancer Assistance, said that they welcome people from all different walks of life.
"We'd like to have school groups, church groups, business groups...anybody," he said.
Winners will be organized according to two overall categories: male and female. They won't be grouped by age.
Awards will be given to the following people (taken from the event flier):
- Individual walker and runner raising most in donations
- Team walkers and runners raising most in donations
- Team walkers and runners with most participants
Jogging strollers are allowed, so parents of small children should feel free to participate.
Admission is $25 for people 18 and over, $15 for people under 18.
"That money doesn't have to come out of your own pocket," Schlaggel said, having especially kids in mind. "You can go to your friends, your neighbors, or anybody you want and ask if they'll help you get into the race."
Registrants will get a T-shirt along with admission. There is no formal deadline, and people can register any time right up to, and including, the night of the race.
Additionally, for $5, kids will be able to do a "fun run" inside the track.
The festival
The Festival of Hope started in November 1995 and, in Schlaggel's words, has "just gotten bigger and bigger every year."
People don't have to run or walk to come to the festival. Anyone can go just to hang out or check out the activities for free -- although there will be costs for specific activities and for the food.
Features of this year's festival include:
- A Chinese auction
- Outdoor raffles, which will include jerseys signed by Buffalo Sabres Derek Roy and Jason Pominville
- $10 haircuts from licensed practitioners
- Massages
- Manicures from BOCES students
- Face-painting for the kids
- A "kids' zone," where, among other things, kids will get to make their own ice cream sundaes
- Free pizza from all of the local pizzerias in Batavia (served in the evening)
- Luminaria (candles), and possibly also a video, commemorating cancer victims and survivors
Calarco-Smith said they also hope to get Sabretooth, the Sabres' mascot, to make an appearance.
Gerace, Schlaggel and Calarco-Smith are inviting everyone to come, even if they don't plan to participate in the race.
"Genesee Cancer Assistance is always there when you need them," Calarco-Smith said. "We invite people to come spend an evening with us, and just see what we're all about."
"Once you're out there," Gerace said, "you'll be hooked, and you'll want to come back every year."
Schlaggel responded to this by recalling a little girl with leukemia who started coming to the festival years ago.
"Now she's about 24 years old, and she comes every year with her mom and grandmother."
All of the money raised through the festival and the race will stay right here in Genesee County.
Genesee Cancer Assistance
After the American Cancer Society closed its Batavia chapter about 20 years ago, Schlaggel, who used to serve on their board, wanted to form a local organization to address the difficulties facing families and individuals battling cancer.
She's had a couple of personal brushes with cancer herself. Her brother died of cancer in the early 1980s, and she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1989.
"At some point in their lives, everyone is somehow affected by cancer," Calarco-Smith said.
Schlaggel was lucky enough to survive her bout with breast cancer, and is being honored this year as a survivor.
"A lot of people think I'm dead," she commented, "because it says, 'In honor of Dorothy Schlaggel.' I'd like everyone to know that I'm very much alive."
Calarco-Smith said the local assistance group wouldn't exist if not for her.
"It all started with her," Calarco-Smith said. "It's time she gets recognized for everything she's done for the people here in Genesee County."
Assistance given by Genesee Cancer Assistance -- which is an entirely local organization with no administrators and only one paid employee -- varies from case to case. Some of their most common provisions are assistance with co-pays and the purchase of wigs for patients going through chemotherapy.
In cases where people need to travel to receive treatment, Genesee Cancer Assistance will also pay for gas mileage and, if necessary, for babysitters. There was even a case where a woman living in a second-floor apartment couldn't stand the summer heat while undergoing chemo, so they paid for an air conditioner.
"(Assistance) is need-based," Schlaggel said.
Whatever a person or family's needs are, the demand for such a group can't be denied.
"Cancer is our number one killer (in the United States)," Gerace said. "But Genesee Cancer Assistance just keeps getting better, bigger and stronger."
"We won't go away until cancer goes away," Schlaggel said.
Some other important notes
If anyone needs a break during the evening, Gerace said Batavia Downs is permitting people to set up "comfort stations" on the grounds.
"People can bring chairs and pitch a tent if they want to get out of the sun for a minute. We want them to be comfortable."
Gerace also wants to assure people that alcohol will not be allowed at the event, which will take place in the downstairs portion of the Downs and outside.
"If anyone wants to drink or gamble, they'll have to go to the second floor."
If you have any questions or would like more information, call Justin Calarco-Smith at 356-1668 or email manumana@aol.com.
To learn more about Genesee Cancer Assistance, go to www.geneseecancerassistance.com.
Supplemental Video: Lincoln Tunnel Challenge (NYC)
Speaking of races, here's some "home video" footage I took while walking/running the Lincoln Tunnel Challenge with my cousins and siblings about a month ago. Hopefully, this will give people some inspiration and "pep."
This race through the Lincoln Tunnel, which takes runners from the New Jersey side to the New York City side and back again, is held every year to raise money for the Special Olympics.
