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Relay raises more than $68,400

Jerry Raehal

Relay awards

Best Fundraising Idea: Holiday InnVolvement Team

Best Team Costumes: Carnival Critters

Relay Iron Man: David Moore

Best Campsite: Guns n Buns

Best Theme: Carnival Critters

Survivor Iron Man: George Lewis

Volunteer of the Relay: Kristy Gonzalez

Most Motivated Team Captain: Jana Rowe

Most Energetic Team: District Divas

Most Creative Onsite Fundraiser: Cosmo Cuties

By the numbers

Total raised gross: $68,457

Expenses: $4,072

Total raised net: $64,384

Luminarias total: $8,563

Top fundraising team: Curvaceous Babes, $3,945

(Team members include: Jana Rowe, Bill Rowe, Carmel Schiff, Nancy Muldoon, Michelle Simon, Davida White, Deanna Regalado, Ann Papoulas, Linda Watson, Debbie Billings, Stephanie Jeffcoat, Sharon Lausin, Misty Peterson, Kerry Kelly and Catherine Crowe)

Top fundraising adult: Kerry Kelly of Curvaceous Babes, $1,210

Top fundraising youth: Zach Hansen of Trapper, $745 (in nine days)

— Craig’s next American Cancer Society Relay For Life still is 11 months away, but Jana Rowe already is recruiting members for her upcoming team.

“I talked to my brother and sister-in-law (Thursday) night, and they’re excited,” she said. “They want to walk with us next year.”

It was that kind of fortitude that helped Rowe’s squad, the Curvaceous Babes, raise the highest amount of any team to participate in Craig’s first Relay For Life, which occurred July 20 and 21, and earn the traveling trophy.



Through bake sales, penny drives and washing windows, the Curvaceous Babes raised $3,945.31, helping the Relay’s final tally reach $68,457.73 gross. The total was announced Thursday night during a team captain’s meeting at Craig Middle School. The money raised is used for cancer research.

Rowe said her team members were behind the Babes’ success, pointing out that Kerry Kelly raised the most of any individual in entire Relay at $1,210, and noting the enthusiasm of team members like Davida White, who was able to convince one guy to donate $40 for a pan of brownies.



Not bad for a team that had simpler goals when fundraising started.

“We thought we would raise our $1,000 like everyone else was supposed to do,” said Rowe, who was honored with the Most Motivated Team Captain award. “My team is awesome. We all worked together really well.”

The Curvaceous Babes also sold the most luminarias, and Rowe sold the most as an individual.

Curvaceous Babes was one of 27 teams to participate in the Relay, with more than 480 walkers taking to the Moffat County High School track during the summer event. Craig’s first Relay was special, event chair Elisa Hayes said.

“The Craig Relay for Life did better than any first year Relay in the Western states,” she said. “And it is all because of the commitment of the community members.

“We are so incredibly grateful for the community support that we had. We have to put a majority of our appreciation to the team captains and the team participants for their contributions to the Relay.”

She also thanked the businesses and volunteers for their contributions and efforts.

“The list of people that we need to thank is so enormous,” she said.

Craig’s first-year fundraising goal was $20,000. After more than tripling that, the American Cancer Society has set the standard even higher for Craig’s 2008 Relay at $55,000, which is scheduled for July 18 and 19 with tentative plans for it to take place at Moffat County High School again.

Hayes has loftier goals.

“I bet we can do at least $75,000,” she said. “I bet we can do at least 40 teams next year.”

Regardless of additional teams, Rowe is looking for the Curvaceous Babes to retain their fundraising title.

The secret of her team’s success?

“If I did have a secret, I wouldn’t want to give it out because then everybody else would do better,” she laughed. “We want to keep our trophy.”


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