This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Ready to Relay

The co-chairs of the Greenwich Relay for Life are busy making sure that this year's event is a cause for celebration—but they need your help.

Kevin Landesman participated in his first American Cancer Society Relay for Life in 2008 — the year he lost his brother, Keith Landesman, after a fast battle with an unknown cancer.

"The first relay we did was just a month after he died. It was a way to honor him and to fight back against cancer," Landesman said.

The following year, he became a captain for Team Hole in One — named for his brother's love of golf. Last year, Landesman served on a committee and this year, he is serving as co-chair. His co-chair is his sister-in-law, Keith Landeman's wife Evelyn.

"Evelyn and I have never been closer, we're this unstoppable team now — we have the common goal of making the Relay huge," Landesman said.

Kevin Landesman is a middle school math teacher at the Brunswick School in Greenwich, he lives in Stamford with his wife and daughter. Evelyn Landesman is a cardiologist with The Heart Physicians in Stamford and lives in Weston with her sons, Sam and Ben.

This year's Relay for Life will take place on June 10 from 7 p.m.-7 a.m. at the Brunswick School’s Edwards Campus on King Street in Greenwich, this will be the fifth year that Greenwich has hosted a Relay for Life. This year's event has an official goal of matching last year's $70,000, but the co-chairs hope that this will be the year they break $100,000.

While past Greenwich Relays have drawn some passionate teams, they have lacked the numbers of other Relays in the country. Kevin Landesman and Evelyn Landesman are doing a few new things this year to change that. They currently have 18 teams signed up. New teams can register online at the event's website or at a number of upcoming fundraising and planning events.

"We want to creat more excitement. By 11 p.m., the event has usually died down, we want to keep it going with activities all night. I would like to see someone walking from every team for the duration of the event." Landesman said. "Cancer never sleeps, the fight against cancer never sleeps."

This year's Relay was given the theme of Celebration and teams are encouraged to decorate their campsites, dress up, and host fundraisers based on their chosen holiday or celebration.

While much of Relay is about coming together for a great time and to earn money for the American Cancer Society, the ceremonies provide some more solemn times during the event.

"People come back because of the people in their lives who have died of cancer or who are fighting cancer,” Landesman said. "We want every ceremony to be well planned and to happen for a reason."

This Thursday, The Melting Pot in Darien will host a Fondue-Raiser from 5-10 p.m. to benefit Relay for Life.

“The Melting Pot means a lot to me, my wife and I have celebrated just about every major life event there. We bought a car, we went to the Melting Pot, we bought a house, we went to the Melting Pot, we got married, we went to the Melting Pot, we had a child, we went to the Melting Pot,” Landesman said.

The cost of the four-course fondue meal is $44.95 per person and $10 from each meal will benefit the American Cancer Society. This event is open to the community and reservations can be made online or by calling (203) 656-4774.

‘We’re looking at it as a good marketing opportunity, as well as just a great dinner,” Landesman said.

Greenwich Relay for Life is also seeking corporate sponsors. Some have already committed to the event, adding their own personal mark on the event. Equinox Gym, for example, is a corporate sponsor and will also be sending massage therapists to give massages during the event.

Greenwich Relay for Life doesn't just need more sponsors and teams, they need more people interested in stepping up to a planning role. The next planning meeting will be held on March 8 at Greenwich Town Hall. The committee planning meeting will begin at 7 p.m. and the team captains’ meeting at 8 p.m.
.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?