Calif. State Fund Eureka Employees Raise Funds for Cancer Society

California State Fund Eureka District Office employees raised nearly $18,000 for the American Cancer Society Humboldt County’s 15th annual “Relay For Life.” The relay, held at the College of the Redwoods, raised $725,000 overall and additional countywide relay events brought the total to $775,000 for the nonprofit organization.

State Fund Eureka District Office employees have participated in the 24-hour “Relay For Life” for the past eight years and have brought in more than $85,000 in donations for the cancer organization.

Eureka district team members chose “Battalion 2015” as their team name to represent the American Cancer Society’s goals by the year 2015 to cut the number of people dying of cancer in half, to reduce the number of people getting cancer by 25 percent and to improve the quality of life for everyone affected by the disease.

“Our theme for the relay was ‘Waging a War for a Cure'” said Jan Hill, State Fund Senior District Underwriter. “So many people are touched by cancer that we wanted to show that we are serious about waging a war on the disease.”

Employees held a number of fundraising activities throughout the year including parking lot bbqs, silent auctions, neighborhood canvassing, and events at local restaurants. The proceeds from the sale of an employee created cook book also raised funds.

Two State Fund employees participating in the race were cancer survivors themselves. Jan Mathews and Helen Andrews relayed for the cure and were part of the “Ceremony of Hope” for survivors. The ceremony included 6,000 bags of light that illuminated the runner’s track. The word “HOPE” was also spelled out with the luminaries glowing in the grandstands. Each bag of light represented a ray of hope for those with the disease.

The State Fund Eureka team logged in over 70-miles around a quarter mile track at the College of the Redwood stadium. First-time State Fund team member, Cheryl Svehla, was moved by the event. “During the ceremony, families shared their individual stories of battle won and lost against cancer.

Other State Fund district employees and friends participating in the relay were Chris Jennings, Christy Pearson, Paige Smith, Fernanda Rhead, Julie Brown, Theresa Kadle, Cindy Somers, Eureka District Office Manager Steve Mackey, Nancy Maas and Linda Berg.

The money raised at the “Relay For Life” will fund research and education programs, and provide aid to cancer patients in the county.

Source: SCIF