WalkAmerica chairman

BREWER – Sharon Versyp, University of Maine women’s basketball coach, has been named the honorary chairwoman of the March of Dimes Bangor-Brewer WalkAmerica Walk. Versyp also was honorary chairwoman last year.

“I encourage all leaders of the business community to support Walk-America and to form teams of employees to participate and raise money to support the March of Dime’s successful fight to save babies.” said Versyp. “Many babies born prematurely must struggle just to survive. By participating in March of Dimes WalkAmerica, you can help give them a fighting chance. I urge you to join me on April 25 and be a hero to save babies.”

WalkAmerica walks will be held throughout the United States as part of the March of Dime’s biggest fund-raiser for the year. More then 1,000 communities participate in the walks in all 50 states and the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Nationally, the walk is expected to draw more than 7 million people.

March of Dimes lifesaving breakthroughs include pioneering surgery that corrects certain birth defects before a baby is born, surfactant therapy to help premature babies breathe, and other new tests and treatments that help babies be healthier.

Money raised will benefit the five-year Prematurity Campaign, designed to increase awareness and education to help families have healthier babies.

Those interested in participating in the 34th annual WalkAmerica should visit walkamerica.org, or call (800) 525-WALK, or call the Northern Division office in Brewer at 989-3376 for more information.

Relay For Life events

OLD TOWN – The American Cancer Society invites individuals who want to honor cancer survivors – anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer – and caregivers, or to pay tribute to loved ones lost to cancer, to join its Relay For Life, May 14-15 in Old Town.

In 1985, Relay For Life began with one man who walked and ran around a track for 24 hours to raise $27,000. This year, Relay For Life events will be held in more than 4,200 communities.

The Relay For Life kickoff rally, where families, caregivers, cancer survivors, schools, companies and others get together to launch Relay For Life in their communities, is set for 6:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, at Pendleton Street School in Brewer.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is an overnight community celebration where individuals and teams camp out, barbecue, dance and take turns walking around a track relay-style to raise funds to fight cancer. At nightfall, participants will light hundreds of luminarias, or candle lanterns, in a ceremony to honor cancer survivors, and friends and family members lost to the disease.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported and that one day cancer will be eliminated.

To learn more, call Mike Hart at 989-0332. For more information about the American Cancer Society, call (800) ACS-2345, or visit www.cancer.org.