Relay Season
Relay for Life is 37 days away, and I couldn’t be more excited about our team this year! The theme is “The Magic of Relay,” and, because we’re a Library and we’re awesome, our personal team theme is Harry Potter.
Relay for Life is not a race, though it sounds like one. Relay for Life is a community event to raise money for the American Cancer Society and to raise cancer awareness. Participants form Teams to raise money and compete against each other. It’s all friendly, of course. The real point is to encourage teams to do their best. “Beating” the other teams is just kind of icing on the fundraising cake.
This year’s Relay for Life of Northern Tuscarawas County will take place on Saturday, May 30 from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM at Franklin Park in Strasburg. There will be food, games, a silent auction, and entertainment for people of all ages. For more information, find the event online.
There will also be a lot of walking. One person from each team will be walking around the track at all times. That’s why it’s called a Relay. The team can’t give up, just like a cancer patient can’t give up the fight. We keep going throughout the event to show our support and commitment to fighting cancer as a community.
This year, the Dover Public Library Team (and it’s non-official “Auxiliary Force”) have worked hard to raise enough money to become a Sponsor and get our name on the back of the official Relay for Life T-shirt.
In December, we sold Book Page Angel Ornaments for $1. These charming dears will be back next year, in case you missed your chance. (I think we do still have some in a closet, though, if you can’t wait to see them!)
In January, we started selling Candy Bars at the Circulation Desk and have now sold over 800 of them! Thank you all so much for the support! Since you seem to like the candy so well, we will probably continue this fundraiser throughout the year. We also take requests for different candy, in case you have any ideas.
But we’re not done yet! The Team would still like to raise more money to support this excellent cause.
This week, we started putting up our Owls. Supporters can post an owl for $1 donation at the Circulation and Children’s Desks. Colored pencils and crayons are available in the Children’s Department for anyone who would like to color their owl before we post it on our service desks. 
Tomorrow, April 25, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, we will be having a Bake Sale. All baked goods will be available for a donation. Simply give what you can to show your support of the American Cancer Society’s efforts in cancer research and awareness.
On May 23, during the Canal Dover Parade, we will have refreshments available outside the library for a goodwill donation to Relay for Life. Hot dogs, chips, and cold water, plus the aforementioned candy bars (those will still be $1). So, if you’re in the parade or watching the parade, stop by for a snack!
Thank you for your support of our Relay for Life Team thus far, and we hope to see you at these and more of our upcoming events, especially Relay for Life on May 30.
– Liz Strauss
Teen Librarian & Relay for Life Team Captain 2015