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Fort Collins, Colorado – July 1, 2010 –For the third consecutive year, a Relay For Life team from Weston Distance Learning Inc. walked all night long to support the American Cancer Society. The 15-member Weston Hope Walkers team participated in this year’s Fort Collins Relay For Life event (supporting the American Cancer Society). The event, held at the Fort Collins High School track, began in the afternoon of Saturday June 5th and finished up after sunrise on Sunday the 6th , culminating in a pancake breakfast for all 550 participants. To date, the event has raised $105,000, and donations are still coming in.
The Weston Hope Walkers made up one of the 55 teams at this year’s event. For five weeks before the event, the Hope Walkers put in time raising American Cancer Society monetary support at work. They sponsored a “snack shack” (a healthier version of the traditional bake sale). They sold tickets both for “casual-dress Wednesdays” and a paid-time-off raffle. And they offered Stars & Moons. For a dollar, an employee could buy a star or a moon decoration on which was written the name of a cancer survivor or a family member, friend, coworker or even a pet lost to cancer. Stars and moons were displayed on company hallways throughout the weeks leading up to Relay For Life night. From these efforts, the Hope Walkers raised $1,520, which included a company matching grant of $500.
Like the Weston Hope Walkers, millions of individuals attend annual Relay For Life events, which are now held in 600 communities in 21 countries. At the events, teams camp out at a local school, park or fairground, taking turns walking or running around a track throughout the night. Team members “spell” each other to keep the team on the track at all times. Community members support teams with fundraising dollars, which are donated to the American Cancer Society.
Each Relay For Life event begins with a lap walked solely by cancer survivors and their caregivers. After dark, luminaries (lights in open paper bags) are turned on, each honoring a person who has succumbed to or who is currently affected by the disease. Melissa Meltzer, a Weston Hope Walker for the past three years, describes the moment when the luminaries are lit as “very powerful.” Melissa walks to honor a cancer victim dear to her. “I do it in memory of my brother,” she says, “and in the hope that eventually, they will find a cure.”
Weston Distance Learning Inc. is the parent company overseeing operations of three distance education schools: At-Home Professions, U.S. Career Institute and McKinley College. The three schools, based in Fort Collins, enroll students throughout the country. Weston courses prepare students to work in more than 25 fields that offer solid job prospects and earning potential. Its state approval is issued by the Colorado Department of Education’s Division of Private Occupational Schools. Each course is accredited through the nationally recognized Distance Education and Training Council. To learn more about Weston, visit http://www.westondistancelearning.com/.
For more information or to schedule an interview with Ann Rohr, contact marketing director Kevin White at (800) 347-7899 or KevinW@westondistancelearning.com.
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