My biggest challenge since becoming chairman of the Relay for Life of Whitehall has been making it known that this is your relay. There is a misconception that the "Relay for Life of Whitehall" is just for the residents and businesses in the township of Whitehall. Not true. Our territory consists of the areas making up the Whitehall-Coplay, Catasauqua, Northampton and the Allentown school districts.

Steve Burker, chairman of Coplay Community Days, who is working with Brian Skurski of Fellowship Community to organize the entertainment, told me he had also thought the Relay for Life of Whitehall was a Whitehall-only event. However, the name Whitehall is attached only to illustrate where the event actually takes place – at the Whitehall High School stadium June 22-23.

The relay is free and open to the public. To celebrate our 10th year for the Relay for Life of Whitehall and the 100th year for the American Cancer Society, our theme will be "Dancing through the Decades."

In an effort to increase awareness, Burker suggested I contact the mayors in our relay area and ask them to proclaim June 22 and 23 as "Relay Weekend." All of them enthusiastically agreed. Mayors Edward D. Hozza Jr. of Whitehall, Joseph Bundra of Coplay, Thomas Reenock of Northampton, Donald Wunderler of Bath, Barbara Schlegel of Catasauqua, William Molchany Jr. of North Catasauqua and Ed Pawlowski of Allentown will officially proclaim June 22 and June 23 Relay Weekend at our Fight Back Ceremony set for June 22 at 1 p.m.

As an active member and past president of the Whitehall Area Chamber of Commerce, I was able to piggyback this announcement with the group's mayoral luncheon Feb. 14.

Because Allentown was not part of our relay area – or any Relay for Life – I had to get clearance from the American Cancer Society to have Allentown become as part of our relay. The change was approved in January.

I extend a great heartfelt thank you to all the mayors. Each one is really special.

Wunderler tells me he does not speak in public too much. He would come to the chamber meeting but would not speak. He did eventually speak with me. His family has been heavily involved with the Whitehall relay.

Schlegel has been very supportive. She asked me for fliers to distribute throughout Catasauqua.

I met Bundra last summer while showing a home in Coplay. He suggested I contact him if I need anything for the relay and he gave me his email address.

Reenock was very enthusiastic about working with us. His speech at the luncheon was quite humorous – and portions were delivered in Pennsylvania German.

Molchany has been great. Like Schlegel, he asked for fliers to distribute at the next council meeting and to area businesses and recreational groups. Like all the mayors, he knows someone who has been personally touched by cancer. When you know someone with cancer, you have a different perspective of the relay.

Hozza always has been extremely supportive. He visits us every year and is great to work with. Hozza has many contacts and knows many in Whitehall.

Pawlowski is very busy and hard to get a hold of. I was very happy to work with his assistant, Karen Lore. When I called about the idea, Lore mentioned he was at President Barak Obama's Inauguration. I did meet Ed a couple of years ago at a grand opening event held at the new ServPro building in East Allentown.

The school districts are also big part of the community and I invited all four school superintendents to be my guests at the mayoral luncheon. Both Jack Corby of the Whitehall-Coplay School District and Joseph Kovalchik of the Northampton Area School District were able to attend. I have been working all year with Corby and met Kovalchik at the luncheon. They both are very supportive.

Robert Spengler of the Catasauqua Area School District and Russell Mayo of the Allentown School District had other commitments the day of the luncheon and were unable to attend.

The purpose of the Relay for Life is to celebrate cancer survivors, remember those who lost their battle to cancer, share information about local, regional and national cancer programs for patients and their families and raise money to fund these programs and do cancer research.

The vast majority of money raised is used to fund programs to help cancer patients and their families. Only 25 percent goes toward research.

When you get involved, you will be helping individuals and families fighting cancer right here in our communities. Contact me for more information on how to get involved.