Cancer Walk To Take Place June 10

Fun, food, fireworks, friends and fellowship will be working together to highlight the 19th annual 2016 It Only Takes A Spark Cancer Walk, staged at Farley Park June 10-11.

The event will start with a community picnic and inflatables at 5 p.m. the evening of June 10 and will culminate with awards and breakfast at 6 a.m. June 11. The picnic is coordinated by Jim Trevett of Trevett’s Cafe, and the inflatables are provided by Valley Rental and Recycling.

The walk will begin at 6 p.m. with a parade of teams. The National Guard will be on hand with a color guard, and Amberly Warren will sing the National Anthem. The Lap of Life for cancer survivors will be led by honorary chair Wayde Fraasch.

Other activities during the evening will include a live auction, a lighting of the way featuring luminaries sold in memory and in honor of those afflicted with cancer, fireworks, Zumba and competitive games. A balloon launch and healing garden add to the festivities.

Each of the 11 campsites will feature a theme and fun activities. The Milbank School District’s Bulldogs Fighting Cancer team will be “fishing for a cure.” The team will also be selling raffle tickets and pizza.

Young children will want to visit United Hardware’s United Pride campsite to try their skills at ring toss and bean bag toss. Their parents will want to visit the “Brewing a Cure” stand to sample smoothies and coffee available for sale. Walking tacos and beverages will also be on the menu.

Great Western Bank encourages attendees to come dressed as a “Frozen” character. Those in costume will receive a free treat. With a “Frozen” theme, the public can meet and greet with Elsa, Ana, Olaf, Sven and Kristop, can participate in a photo booth and snowball toss, and can pin the nose on Olaf. Treats will also be available for sale.
Using a car racing theme, St. William’s/Whetstone Insurance’s pit crew will have a car racing game and a quilt raffle. Those attending can also enjoy Hardee’s roast beef, hotdogs, monster cookies and beverages.

The Marching Medics, which involves the Milbank Avera Medical Group and Big Stone Therapies, will be selling spaghetti in a cup, puppy chow, pink and lavender hair extensions and water.

New to the walk, the C-Team will be featuring a bar pong, a cupcake walk and ring toss. It will be selling cake pops and glow-in-the-dark bracelets and necklaces.

Another new team, Poet, will be “Fueling a Cure.” The team will have Nascar #3 on hand to add to the evening’s excitement. Team members will be selling popcorn, corn nuts, glow-in-the-dark tattoos and beverages. It is also sponsoring a Craig Morgan concert ticket raffle.

State Auto Insurance is bringing Dr. Seuss’ Cat in the Hat to the park. Its activities include plinko, tree of hope and ring toss. Pop and water will be available as well.

Those looking for a homemade goody should visit the Nani O’Hana campsite. Fresh hot doughnuts will be made on site. Pork loin sandwiches, pop, water and can koozies will be for sale, too.

Montage’s Walkie Talkie team will feature a bean bag toss, face painting and a cake walk on the half hour. It will also be selling barbecues, beverages and LED arm bands. It will have a bug spray booth, too.

Too Inspired To Be Tired, the American Legion team, will encourage fun with a ring toss and yard dice. It will have a 31 bag raffle and will be selling hot dogs and chips.

Duane Tillman will emcee this exciting and fun-filled event. The evening’s activities are coordinated by the core committee which includes Angie Johnson, Amanda Cummins, Ann Tuchscherer, Aaron Anderson and Matt Scott.Anyone interested in becoming a member of the committee may contact one of these individuals.

The cancer walk committee has planned something new and exciting for the two weeks leading up to the event entitled “Give Cancer The Boot.” It Only Takes A Spark challenges the community to participate in a Penny War. All funds raised will be used to fight cancer in the greater Grant County area.

Each of the 11 cancer walk teams will have a boot on display at three locations during the next two weeks. To help fight cancer, community members are asked to help out their favorite team win a free registration for the 2017 walk by putting spare change in a boot. All coins and bills are accepted. The boots will be on display at Great Western Bank from May 31 to June 1, at First Bank and Trust from June 2-4 and at the Milbank Mall from June 6-10. Live auction items will also be on display at the Milbank Mall the week of the walk.

Luminaries are still on sale to help light the path around Farley Park. They can be purchased for $5 from any cancer walk team member or at Lewis Drug or Valley Queen Cheese and can be given in memory of or in honor of a loved one.
Proceeds from the walk are turned over to a disbursement committee. There are currently 80 cancer patients in the greater Grant County area receiving financial assistance from the funds raised by this cancer walk.