Walk of Life planned to benefit cancer patients

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Although breast cancer claimed the life of Beth Charczynski Wright on Aug. 23, 2000, it did not claim her spirit.

Two months before Wright died, she founded the Choose Life Foundation to bring comfort, help and inspiration to others facing this disease.

Through the lives of those who loved her, those who knew her and those who knew of her good works, Wright’s spirit will lead the Beth C. Wright Walk of Life to benefit the Choose Life Foundation at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 5, in Addison, the town she called home.

Wright’s sister, Lynne Toppin of Addison, said 550 people have already registered for the walk, and more are welcome.

“All people have to do is to write their sponsor names on a sheet of paper, bring their sponsor money, and we will register them before the walk,” she said.

But there is much, much more to this fund-raiser than the walk.

In fact, there is so much activity that organizers are planning to bus people into town from the Daniel Merritt School on Route 187 in Addison. The event takes place rain or shine.

Toppin said activities at Town Hall include a large yard sale, a Chinese auction featuring nearly 80 items donated by local businesses, a 50-50 raffle, and an afternoon raffle of two children’s bicycles.

“We are also having a lobster feed, hamburgers and hot dogs, and 800 sweets cooked by local churchwomen,” she said.

The Choose Life Foundation will have its own table where you can purchase framed and matted prints “of one of my sister’s original watercolors,” Toppin said.

Just 30 prints by the late local teacher, artist, wife and mother of two young sons will be available, but you can also purchase Choose Life Foundation hats and T-shirts.

Toppin also said that the “large craft fair is absolutely full. Every table is reserved.”

Of course, there will be music, lots of fun activities for the children, and proceeds from all the events will benefit the Choose Life Foundation.

Organizers have set no particular goal for the fund-raiser, Toppin said.

“We’re just trying to raise as much money as we can, and we hope to make this an annual event.”

The Choose Life Foundation is a nonprofit organization created to assist patients with all forms of cancer.

Among its activities are mailing care packets to newly diagnosed cancer patients.

The packets include inspirational books, tapes, gift certificates, educational pamphlets and hats for the male patients.

Toppin said the packets are mailed anywhere, even outside the state.

“We’ve mailed them to Massachusetts and New Hampshire,” she said. “Wherever there is a need.”

The foundation does strive to help local patients and, among other items, has bought two laptops for the chemotherapy clinic in Ellsworth and one for the Machias clinic.

“We bought a bed for one person and heating oil for another who needed it because of the costly treatments,” Toppin said. “We do things along those lines.”

With so many people registered for the walk, and so many others participating in the day’s events, it is obvious that Beth Wright was well-loved by members of her community.

If you would like to assist her foundation in any way, you can make a check payable to the Choose Life Foundation and mail it to 60 Wescogus Road, Addison 04606.

The Improved Order of Redmen Tarratine Tribe No. 13 and staff of SAD 34 are hosting a spaghetti supper from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 4, at the Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the family of sixth-grader Emily Schaefer who was diagnosed last fall with a life-threatening illness.

According to information provided the NEWS, Emily’s condition requires continuous and costly medical care.

Her parents, Linda Steck and Michael Schaefer, have contributed endless hours in support of the children of Belfast, and this supper is a way for families and community members to help repay their generous gift.

Because I had not heard of the Redmen before, I called Troy Howard Middle School and was fortunate to be able to speak with Ken Murphy, who just happens to be not only a member of this civic organization, but a past Great Sachem of the State of Maine.

Murphy told me this fraternal organization is the oldest in the country.

“It is based on Indian heritage, but a person does not have to be an Indian to be a member,” he said.

The Redmen trace their heritage to the Sons of Liberty, which was organized prior to the Revolutionary War, sometime in the late 1760s.

Murphy said of the 35 Tribes once active in Maine, just five remain, including the one in Belfast, which recently acquired a new facility and is the site of popular bingo games.

The Bangor Public Library is asking for donations of books for its annual book sale, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Saturday, May 12, at the library, 145 Harlow St. in Bangor.

Prior to the sale, Preview Night for members of the Friends of the Bangor Public Library will be 6 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, May 11, at which time you can join the Friends organization.

To donate books, or learn more about the Friends of the Bangor Public Library, call the BPL at 947-8336.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.