Relay for Life - Bellevue - Kickoff Party - Lincoln Square Cinemas

Jan 31, 2009--Relay for Life Kickoff Party--Lincoln Square Cinemas

I was invited to the kickoff party by the most enthusiastic person I have ever met, Mary Martin from the American Cancer Society.   Our Inventive Productions team had created a short fundraising video for the event and I wanted to see how it looked on the big screens of the beautiful Lincoln Square Cinemas in Bellevue, WA.  

I showed up a little early on Saturday morning and was totally impressed by the incredible warm hospitality and generosity of everyone I met at the event.  There were lots of young people and a few old people, but everyone had the same reason for being there.  We all want to try to help stop cancer.  I cannot stress how remarkable these people at this event were.  These kids were so fun and happy and inspiring because they all were there for no reason but to try to help others.   

Because of technical problems with the video projector, they couldn't get our video up on the bigscreen but I did not care, because I ran into Linda Linderman, a long time friend.  

Linda is a remarkable person.  She the wife of one of the most important person I have ever met in my life.  I first met Rob Linderman in 2001 when I took the job as Project Director at the Resort at Seaside located in Seaside, Oregon.  Rob was the Resort Manager.  I had never met Rob before, but everyone told me that he was the greatest resort manager in the world.  It didn't take me long to find this out.  Rob Linderman was this giant, tall man, who went out of his way every day to go around and try to make you smile and give you a bear hug.  How many people do you know whose total mission is to make you smile and give you a bear hug?  There is only one Rob Linderman.  Unfortunately we lost Rob to cancer and I miss those smiles and bear hugs every day.  I wish I could remember to emulate Rob every day.  I wish everyone could emulate Rob every day.  The world would be a better place I know.   

It was great talking with Linda Linderman at this event.  She is such a beautiful, fantastic person.  Linda has been a true inspiration to so many people.  Last year she led a team at the Relay for Life that raised the most money for cancer for the Bellevue event.   Linda is always so kind and happy and helpful to others.  Linda told me how excited she was about the possibility of becoming a grandparent any day now.  She was so energized by the possibility, the unbelievable miracle of becoming a grandparent, she had a glow about her.   

I guess the emotion grabbed me that day, because before I knew it I had volunteered to start an Inventive Productions team for this year's Relay for Life, and I volunteered to be the team captain, and I pledged that our team would raise $10,000 during this Relay.

I thought of my Dad who had died of cancer back almost twenty years ago.  I remember when he went from a big guy like me down to 67 pounds, where I drove three hours each week to visit him during his fight.   I thought of my Mom in Oregon who had fought and beat lung cancer only two years ago.  I thought of my uncle Doug who is fighting and beating cancer down in San Diego.  I thought of my good friend Dave Divelbiss who had lost his bout with cancer last year.  I thought of my good friend Darrell Cross who had lost his bout with cancer five years ago.  I thought of my friend Del Broome who was fighting cancer down in Bend, Oregon right now.  I thought of my friend Connie Peare who had fought and lost her bout with Cancer three years ago.  I also thought of my hero John Wayne and how he fought cancer for over ten year when I was a kid.

As you can tell, I guess I am passionate about this cancer thing and I hope that someday they will find a cure.  I am totally impressed by the Relay for Life concept.  People walking and running around a track overnight, experiencing a group effort to raise money to kill this disease.  

I recommend you think about joining our Relay for Life team this year.  We are scheduled to do the relay this June in Bellevue.  Let me know if you would like to join the team.   If you can't make it, please do not hesitate to donate some money or to sponsor some funds for our team.  You can donate a flat amount, or per lap or whatever way you feel most comfortable.

Call me if you have any questions  425-284-1900.  Thanks.....RJ.