Thursday, August 3, 2017

Annual summer event another summer success

As summer wanes, much, as to be expected, has been written about the usual annual rights of summer – Major League Baseball’s All-Star game, the Taste of Chicago, not to mention the Buffalo Grove Farmers’ Market.



One event, however, appears to have slipped under the radar.  Buffalo Grove’s 2018 Relay for Life.  Held June 2 and 3, the Relay this year was held at Twin Groves Middle School. Previously held on a rotating basis at Buffalo Grove and Stevenson high schools, the move to Twin Groves was needed after both schools withdrew from hosting.



Assistant Village Manager Jennifer Maltas, who coordinates the village’s involvement in the Relay said the event went “really well” at Twin Grove. She said being able to set up in the infield of Twin Grove’s track gave the Relay more of a “community feel.”


More important than the community feel, the Relay for Life has raised more than $60,000 for the fight against cancer. Maltas, whose mother was a cancer victim, said the cooperation between School District 96 (Twin Groves is a D-96 school) and the Buffalo Grove Park District was “amazing”. 


Based on the success of this year’s event and new venue, Maltas says she’s hoping the 2018 Relay for Life will be at Twin Groves.


If there is a “down side” to the move to Twin Groves it’s the reason it was selected as the host site.  Both Stevenson and Buffalo Grove High Schools, as previously noted, dropped out of the event, not because of concern for their facilities, but because there just didn’t seem to be a lot of student interest, which is unfortunate because both schools have active community service initiatives for students.


While the past efforts by Buffalo Grove and Stevenson students have been admirable, Maltas says having it at Twin Groves seemed to change the Relay “from a student event to community event”.


With the field in plain sight of the both Half Day and Buffalo Grove roads, Maltas noted that “some people drove up and donated and offered to help for next year”.


Which, given that the 2018 event is almost a year away, is a great start and reflects a job well done.


You can still donate to Buffalo Grove’s Relay for Life by going to BG Relay for Life

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