Students Relay for a cure

Relay For Life has been hosted in Baldwin for seven years now, and since its inception local students have been actively involved in raising money and awareness.

Baldwin Senior High School, Baldwin Middle School and each elementary school have had contributors who have helped raise tons of money for the American Cancer Society to go toward cancer research and treatment. This year’s event will take place Saturday at Baldwin Park.

BMS student Morgan Salmon has participated in Relay for the past seven years and is currently part of the team Because We Care. So far this team has raised about $12,000 through bake sales, Relay-hosted events and soliciting donations from family and friends in the community.

After her grandma was diagnosed with cancer, Salmon said Relay became that much more important to her. She also does it to help future patients get the help they need. “It feels good when you’re helping other people with cancer,” she said.

Jonathan Scarduzio, 11, has also been involved in Relay for the past seven years. He, along with Salmon, is also on the Because We Care team.

He became involved in Relay because cancer has affected many close friends and relatives, including his uncle, who is now a skin cancer survivor. “[I Relay] so everyone who has cancer can not have it and get treatment,” Scarduzio said.

High school student Nicholas Barba decided to get involved with Relay about three years ago where he started as a member of BHS’ Students Against Destructive Decisions team. Then, he became a captain for team Mary Sunshine two years ago.

“I became captain because my grandmother passed away from pancreatic cancer and I felt like I should do something to help find a cure,” Barba said. “So I got involved in Relay For Life.”

In addition to raising money, Barba plays the drums in the band “Jake From State Farm,” which will be one of the musical acts performing on Saturday.

Like Barba’s team, most of the groups are made up of relatives and friends. He said his team has participated mainly in the fundraisers that have been planned by the event coordinators, like the kickoff raffle and bingo night. His teammates have also gone around school and their neighborhoods to help raise about $1,500 so far.

For their most recent fundraiser, Barba said he hosted a psychic in his home on June 8, who offered to donate half of her profits to the team. He, his teammates and whoever wanted to stop by got their futures read and helped progress the American Cancer Society’s goal of saving more lives.

For the sake of helping future cancer patients get the same treatment and care that others have received, students and community members alike will have their fingers crossed that plenty of money is raised come Saturday.