Did We Ever Light the Night!
October 1st, 2009 at 10:27 pm by Jacquie Walker under Jacquie Walker's Newsroom Notebook
The Western New York chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society can call Friday, September 25, 2009, a banner day. A record crowd of more than 2500 turned out in Delaware Park to walk, talk, and party at the chapter’s most successful fundraiser of the year. Channel 4 has been a proud sponsor of this colorful event since the very first Light the Night Walk eleven years ago. I was there that first night with a few hundred people and it is so gratifying to see how it has grown dramatically since then as a family-friendly community party that embraces all who fight cancer and commemorates the lives of those who did not survive. When the evening drew to a close, co-chairs Paul and Karen Nanula announced that Light the Night 2009 raised more than $330,000 for research into blood-related cancers and aid to local patients. But, Paul urged everyone to stay tuned for a higher total because donations are still coming in. That lit up the night for everyone!
Before the sun set, you could see the size of the huge crowd ready to Light the Night! Participants carry red lighted balloons, cancer survivors carry white balloons, those who have lost loved ones carry gold balloons in their memory.
I was pleased to return as emcee and honorary chair of the 11th annual Light the Night Walk.
The walk proceeds at a brisk pace around Ring Road in Delaware Park.
Many families form teams in memory of loved ones lost to cancer. Team Ron’s Kids walked in memory of Ron McNally of Buffalo.
It takes a lot of volunteers to support an event like this. Volunteer Nathan Thomas was handing out cheese sticks to the walkers.
These enthusiastic volunteers were passing out apples along Ring Road.
Volunteers kept the grills hot and the hot dogs grilling!
Leukemia survivor Liz Harrer of Lockport told the crowd about the support she has received from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I interviewed Dan Bermingham of East Aurora for News 4 at 11 and the Ten O’clock News on CW23. His 6 year old daughter, Julia, was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in May, 2007.
Co-chairs Paul and Karen Nanula of Wilson Farms helped lead Light the Night to its most successful year ever.
