RFL takes over the Food Enterance at Wal-Mart of St Robert

Let me tell you about the first part of my day. Relay for Life is less than 2 months away now! We had an event team challenge today at our local Wal-Mart. Each team was encouraged to attend and bring out baked goods or something else to sell. Then each team had assigned door (pan-handling duty) time. I love to be at the door asking for donations and find that I'm fairly good at pan-handling.

First please note that last year my dear sweet Tayton was heard saying things such as "hope you don't get cancer" or "don't call us when you die" when people would say no thanks and walk away when asked to donate! I did NOT teach him this or encourage it! But well....it is what it is. And Korbin did say to one lady in a low cut shirt last year "well my mom has boobs too!"

This year, none of that! They were wonderful about soliciting donations. Other than Tayton jumping out to stop people from just walking past him and not donating and Korbins most sincere thank you to a man who did donate being "thank you chicken!" They did great! Amazing little boys and they know why we're out there!


Cancer a horrible monster that in some way has affected nearly everyone in some form or another. Whether it be through a family member, themselves or maybe just a family that has touched their heart through blogging like Julian Avery did mine almost a year ago now.

I'm always amazed at the people who stop and take small children out of their shopping carts, hand them a few cents and teach that child about giving. I'm disappointed in the people coming out with children carrying bags of new toys that refuse to make eye contact or give up those few cents. I'm touched by the ones who stop, drop a few cents and then share a story about a loved one lost to cancer or still fighting that battle. Some will go back into the store to get change others will apologetically search to the bottoms of their purses or pockets with no avail.

Today we had a man who avoided our eye contact on the way in as if we were trying to telepathically force his hand into his pocket to dig out loose change. However, on the way out he stopped. He asked my friend how much he should give. Her response was simply "that's up to you". He dropped a five dollar bill in the bucket then met her gaze again, this time with tears in his eyes, and said, "I just lost my dad to small cell lung cancer". And with that he walked away.

They are the reason we do this. People hurt so much because of this horrible ugly word: Cancer. Why would someone walk by and say "no thanks" to dropping a few cents in a bucket to help find a cure? We aren't the local wrestling team (just an example no offense) asking for money for camp. We have a different idea, we want to help everyone. One in four people will be faced with a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime. Look around...

Click here to help my team!