Relay for Life profile: Judy Cornell

Accounting chair Judy Cornell for Relay for Life

I’ve been running a little series about folks who are volunteering for Relay for Life this year…here’s a little about Judy Cornell (she’s the accounting chair this year) & why she’s involved with the program:

I participated in my first Relay for Life shortly after we learned that our friend, John LoBue, had brain cancer.

My husband and sons dropped me off with my overnight bag at the Burlington track where I joined a handful of Friday Harbor Soroptimists.  The Anacortes Soroptimists had challenged us to compete against them to raise money and awareness in the fight to conquer cancer.  The planned activities were fun, the food and friendships were nurturing and the luminaria ceremony was amazing.  The lighted bags lined up for more than once around the track.  They read the names as we walked around in the candlelit night.  Then a few of us tried to sleep.

The lights were too bright, the music was too loud and then it started to rain!  What had we gotten ourselves into?  In the morning we rolled up our wet tents and dashed for the ferry.  Some time between then and our next club meeting, the importance of what we had just accomplished soaked in.  We vowed at that point to get involved at a local level if the opportunity ever presented itself.  Several of us were at the first organizational meeting a year or two later.

I am pleased to be returning this year as the Accounting Chair for the Friday Harbor Relay for Life.  I thank Islanders Bank for facilitating the money handling process.  Please make a commitment to join a team for our July event.  The sense of community involvement and the knowledge that you are supporting the vital programs of the American Cancer Society will give you a warm and fuzzy feeling, even if you get wet!

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