Relay for Life of Yellowstone will hold its big event, Celebrate for Life, at a new location with a new format on Sept. 27.
Meanwhile, students in Shepherd are continuing their own relay tradition.
Watch the video below:
Children in kindergarten through eighth grade took a lap around the track for the Shepherd Relay Recess, with the goal raising awareness of cancer.
Cancer is a disease that impacts nearly everyone in one way or another, and almost all of the 500 students raised their hands when asked about knowing someone who died or is a cancer survivor.
“My aunt,” said Cooper Tabbert, who is in the fourth grade.
“My grandpa,” said Krash Mikkelson, a fellow fourth grader.
“A couple of my grandparents passed away from cancer,” said Brodyn Arthur, another fourth grader.
Kids got a chance to learn about supporting cancer patients and also raised money for Relay for Life.
It's quite an inspiration as to how this got started in Shepherd.
“I had skin cancer back in 2010, so that kind of started it,” said Craig McKinney, a Shepherd Middle School teacher. “I think I got even more involved when my best friend passed away from prostate cancer back in 2017.”
McKinney has been the main organizer of this fundraiser that has helped teach the kids about the challenges of cancer.
“It's endearing, to say the least, and to see young people involved and loving on people in their community,” said Sheri Hanson-Smith, Relay for Life of Yellowstone chair. “It’s amazing.”
Hanson-Smith was once a student in Mr. McKinney's class.
Cancer has also touched her life.
“One of my dearest friends, she's also a Shepherd alumni, passed away last fall," said Hanson-Smith. "And her brother that spring, he had throat cancer. She had metastatic breast cancer, so she's one of the reasons I'm standing here today.”
This year, the students raised $4,708.
“Now our grand total for 12 years: $55,820,” McKinney told the kids.
McKinney will be retiring from teaching after 41 years, 34 in Shepherd.
“What a blessing to be here with him his last year and just support him and get to see all of it,” Hanson-Smith said.
Even with McKinney taking a smaller role, they hope the tradition lives on for the students.
“I'm sad because he's not going to be able to support (the fight against) cancer as much now,” said Tabbert.
And the students will help raise money for the American Cancer Society and be there for family and friends.
“You can be sad sometimes if someone passed away from cancer and your friends can support you,” said Mikkelson.
“Trying to support family members and friends and everybody that just in general had cancer,” said Arthur.
