Malverne to host second Relay for Life

“The overall theme is hope — to give people who are fighting cancer hope,” said Bill Holzapfel, a co-chairman of this year’s Relay for Life in Malverne, which will be held at Malverne High School on May 4.

The second annual Relay for Life — an event that helps communities celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease — helps to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

“Cancer affects us all — I don’t know anyone around me who hasn’t been affected in some manner,” said Holzapfel, whose wife, Mary, is a survivor of breast cancer. “We’re there to celebrate the victories of survivors, to remember the people we have lost and to fight back by raising awareness and raising money.”

This year’s event will feature a celebratory Survivors Dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. The dinner — which is free of charge for cancer survivors and their caregivers — will include numerous dishes donated by Malverne eateries and shopkeeps, including Angelo’s Pizzeria, Antonio’s Deli, Malverne Bakery, Connolly Station, Cross Island Fruits, as well neighboring establishments, including Pop’s Wings and Grill in Lynbrook, Starbucks in Franklin Square, among other establishments.

The event will feature a DJ, and include a string of activities, including Zumba exercise sessions. Participants will be able to indulge in numerous raffle opportunities, where they can win items donated by local businesses, including chocolates, wine, among other items.

Following the feast will be the event’s opening ceremonies, at 7:00 p.m., where survivors, caregivers, and participants will walk laps around the high school outdoor track in silence to honor survivors and those lost to cancer.

At dusk, luminaries will be lit and situated around the track in dedication to those who have lost their lives to cancer, and to those who are battling or who have survived cancer. Some luminaries will be used to spell out “hope,” the event’s theme.

Last year, roughly 500 turned out to support the event’s cause. “It was both joyous and somber,” Holzapfel said. “We had steady rain last year, but we never lost the crowd.”