United We Stand  

Relay for Life Event aided by the 
Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club
July 27-28, 2002
  The Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club helped on the Crow Wing County Relay for Life at the Brainerd High School Athletic Field.  It is a fund raiser for the fight against cancer.  The event started at about 5 PM on Saturday.  Quitting time was 8 AM on Sunday morning.
  BAARC Secretary Shirley KCØDCW and BAARC President Al WØRC.  Hams provided communications to make the event go well.  Ken KAØJSW worked as net control.  He was high up in the press box above the stands.  Because of that, the Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club communications trailer was made available to event officials for counting donation money.  
  George KCØBH and Terry Monroe, wife of Past Club President John Luce WØJGY.  Terry was Co-Chair of of taking care of the grounds along with John.  The purple ribbon on Terry indicates that she is a cancer survivor.
  The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Color Guards started off the ceremonies.  
  Here, Brian KØEOU led the gathering with an invocation.  Brian is a Lutheran minister and is a Past President of the Brainerd Area Amateur Radio Club.  
   Three enthusiastic Club members...BAARC V.P. Jim KCØANQ, George KCØBH, and Past First Lady of the Club Paula WØHA.  
  Terry KIØFW and June KCØNGL.  June is a cancer survivor and was a recent graduate of ham training.  She got her license in the spring of 2002.    
  The initial set of walkers raising money for cancer research.
  A look at the north end of the track with more walkers.
  The Brainerd Rotary Noon Club tent with June KCØNGL, Darrell ABØVP, Jim WAØAXB, Past BAARC President John WØJGY, and Rotarian Mark Dockendorf (ham to be).  All of the men are Rotarians.  June is the widow of a Rotarian.  
  Much of the event was photographed from a helicopter.  If you look very closely, you can see that Jim WAØAXB is the photographer.  He worked under the direction of Darrell ABØVP, Coordinator of Photography for the Relay for Life event.  Click here for aeriel photos from the helicopter.
Numerous members of the BAARC performed duties of keeping the management of the event informed of the weather, which was a problem from about noon until 1800. Fortunately, we did have a radio that was capable of monitoring the National Weather Service station, which recently began operation in the Leader area of Minnesota.

From about noon until 1800 clearing we passed weather information to the management and all who were involved in the Relay for Life. Overall, we were able to avoid the short rainfalls and kept marginally dry, though the all-important luminaries took a beating, though they performed their function and only a couple of them caught fire to the paper bags.

For the Relay for Life, our primary responsibility was to keep the management apprised as to the weather and, if applicable, of any other problems which might arise during the Relay, which took place on the Brainerd Senior High School Athletic complex. Since many folks quickly became aware of our capabilities, they frequently called up to the press box to inquire as to the status of the potentially dangerous weather.

We were requested to provide shadows for several of the members of the staff which had planned the Relay for Life, such as the chairpersons and others who were setting up shop under "tents" which had roofs, but had open walls.

One thing that was of particular interest was the response to our allowing the Relay to utilize the recently acquired BAARC construction trailer for counting and other handling of cash donations, which reached approximately $130,000 and that's not bad for an operation that had just minimal expense.

To shadow individuals such as the chairpersons for the event, facility, publicity, survivors, team captains, flowers, prizes & raffles, food, concession stands, games, luminaries, signage, balloons, roses, color guards, area mayors and communications.  Meetings were held weekly from January 20 until the actual event.

Participating BAARC members for this important event were Jim, KCØANQ;George, KCØBH; Al, WØRC; John, WØJGY; Jim, WAØAXB; Shirley, KCØDCW; Paula, WØHA; Bob, KGØZK; Jon, KBØMNM; Terry, KIØFW; Alan AAØAS, and Ken, KAØJSW.

Before we had even taken the BAARC trailer from the field, we were asked for its use and for the BAARC members to participate in 2003.

BAARC members who do not participate in public service events are missing one of the most rewarding and appreciated services of ham radio operation.
  

Ken Magloughlin KAØJSW, BAARC Community Event Coordinator.

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Posted on the web 9 PM 7/27/02.  Last updated 12/19/2006  Ø