Relay team sells cancer awareness jewelry
By BURLON PARSONS bparsons@journal-spectator.com

Staff Photo by Burlon Parsons The Anglers Relay For Life team captain Nicole Stavena shows the cancer awareness jewelry items, bracelets, key chains and lapel pins, which her team sells as a fund-raiser.

Each year Relay For Life teams have to figure out two things. First what their team theme will be each year. Then how to raise the minimum $100 per team member to be a part of the fund-raiser.

Some do bake sales, hold silent auctions, fishing tournaments or raffles. Others have specialty booths at area festivals. One recently held at "jail and bail" event in El Campo.

The Strouhal Tire and Recapping Plant team of Hungerford have taken to selling cancer awareness jewelry. Not only do they sell to family and friends, but they are on-line as well.

This year the group are The Strouhal Anglers - Fishing For a Cure. The 15-member team is headed up by captain Nicole Stavena.

She has been involved in Relay For Life since 2000. Her grandmother had died of cancer the year before. Stavena was an Avon representative and her district manager was forming a team in Bellville.

She was "hooked" on what the event was all about and what the funds were raised for. Stavena has been on teams since and has captained the Strouhal team for the past three years.

"The funds we raise are used for four things - research, education, advocacy funding and local patient services," Stavena said. "My mom was diagnosed just before Christmas with the same cancer my grandmother died of. Now she is in remission. Education and research made a difference in her life."

Stavena's idea of selling cancer awareness jewelry came after a jewelry wholesaler was found online. Further research led to finding the company was in Houston.

A trip to the company gave Stavena's team a local contact and an extra break on costs.

Now they have been selling the cancer awareness jewelry at acsevents. org/wharton. That selling session is over, but Stavena still has some jewelry for those who want to buy it.

She is still selling two types of awareness bracelets, two styles of key chains and lapel pins.

The bracelets are $7.50 each, the key chains are $5 and the lapel pins $2.

Stavena can be reached by calling Strouhal's at 532-1579, ext. 202. Give her a call to get some of the current jewelry.

The team will also be holding a fish pond, a silent auction and selling jewelry and glow-in-the-dark necklaces at Relay For Life. Folks are still able to donate funds for the event as well.

This year's event will be held beginning with luminaria sales at 4 p.m. at the El Campo High School Stadium. Survivors registration begins at 5 p.m.

Stavena wanted to remind all team captains they have their last meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the El Campo Voluntary Fire Department Training Room.

Funds will be turned in, T-shirts picked up and the top five fund-raising teams get to pick their "camp sites."