Powder Springs Helps Cobb County's Relay for Life Fight Cancer

For Angela Rollins, the Cobb County Relay for Life, an annual American Cancer Society fundraiser, is a chance to fight a disease that really hits home.

“I do it personally because I have a lot of family members who have been diagnosed with cancer," the office clerk said, mentioning her mother, father and grandmother, who lost her battle with cancer. “And we have faculty who themselves have been diagnosed and (are in) remission at this time."

The school's 23-member team is comprised of faculty and staff, with Rollins serving as this year's team captain. Before the Relay, the team had raised about $5,600, which was just under the $6,000 goal.

Rollins said that she expected the relay—plus more fundraising and donations after—would help the team climb well above its goal.

“By us being able to reach our goal," she said, "we’re able to turn in money for them to use for research, which puts us that much closer to a cure."

The Powder Springs Elementary team was not alone: All the public schools in the city participated and were among 196 teams taking part in the event.

The Relay at Jim Miller Park officially kicked off with opening ceremonies at 7 p.m. on Friday, hit its emotional peak with the solemn, candlelight luminaria ceremony at 10 p.m., and concluded around 7:30 this morning. The tally so far on the Relay website is more than $636,000 raised.

Among the honorees this year was science teacher and swim coach Nikki Bisesi, a cancer survivor who was one of 11 Torch Bearers who joined a band of bagpipers in leading the lumniaria procession and received certificates on the main stage.

"She was and is a shining example for students, teachers and the community," said the announcement read to the Relay crowd. "The eight people who nominated her all feel proud to call her friend."

Another one of the 11 Torch Bearers was Kathy O'Hara-Rosa, an ESOL teacher at Clarkdale Elementary, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010.

Meanwhile, had one of the larger, more active contingents at the park. Wearing pink T-shirts, some of the Indians took the open stage around midnight and kept many people entertained with a freewheeling dance routine.

Altogether, organizers estimate that more than 5,000 people took part in the Cobb Relay for Life, which is the fourth-largest Relay in the nation, based on participation and fundraising.