Relay for Life
Hello Class of 1968!
Today I am writing you in another capacity...a very important capacity that quite possibly has affected many of us, if not all of us, in one way or another. *Cancer*
Dee Graeber Patterson came to me right after our reunion in August, 2008 with the idea of the Class of 1968 Reunion Committee sponsoring a team for the next Relay for Life event to be held June, 2010, and what a GREAT idea it was! Dee will be heading up our team along with her daughter-in-law, Darcy Patterson.
Dee has many successful years of experience supporting the American Cancer Society and with her dedication and under her direction, the Class of 1968 will once again prove to be the best class ever to walk the halls of Central, East and St. Mary's High Schools. What better way to give back to our community, our classmates, our friends and family than to support the fight against cancer.
I have included Dee's letter in this message. Please take the time to read it and join in our fight against cancer.
Thank you ~ Jeri Burns Olsen
Hi Everybody,
With another year upon us, we are again putting up a fight against that deadly disease called cancer. This year I'm trying something different and starting a new team as co-captain with my Daughter-In-Law Darcy. This is a first for me and I look forward to the challenge. We have set our goals high and again we are asking for your help. Our team is "Class of "68" Reunion Committee" and we are honoring all our classmates, friends and family who have succumbed, who are living with or have thankfully survived this awful disease. We have room for team members to help us meet our goals or if you can't be with us then possibly you could contribute to our team in a monetary way with a $30 or $50 contribution to our team. The Relay is June 4, 2010 5:00pm to June 5, 2010 12:00pm @ the Oakie Blanchard Stadium at the East High School field.
Luminaries are also available for $5.00 if you have a friend or family member you would like to honor at the ceremony. If you have never attended a relay event you are truly missing a beautiful and heart wrenching event. The luminaries ceremony is something everyone should experience. It is a beautiful time to remember and honor everyone effected by this unforgiving disease.
You can join our team and/or contribute online by going to www.relayforlife.org/cheyennewy. The website will tell you step by step how to join our team, donate to our team and/or an individual team member and participate in any other way you may want to. If you are interested in joining our team please call me at home (307) 634-8250 or on my cell (307) 640-1940. That way I can keep everyone in the loop with meeting times and Relay information.
If you would like to make a contribution other than online please make checks to ACS (American Cancer Society) and send them to: Dee Patterson, 4916 Nimmo Dr., Cheyenne, Wy 82009.
I am honoring several people in my walk this year: my Mother, June Graeber, was diagnosed with lung cancer Dec. 2, 2008 and my Mother-In-Law, Rose Stugalmeyer, had breast cancer and passed 3 years ago. Also, a couple very close friends and Class of "68" classmates, Sharon Holthusen Cloyd and Sharon Schubarth.
My personal commitment to the Class of '68' Reunion Committee Relay Team is genuine and I promise to make it the best I can as Co-Captain. All your contributions as team members and/or donations are greatly appreciated.
Thank you all for your help again this year and I hope your year is bright and wonderful.
Dee Patterson
4916 Nimmo Dr.
Cheyenne, Wy 82009
307 634-8250
deepatter@yahoo.com
4916 Nimmo Dr.
Cheyenne, Wy 82009
307 634-8250
deepatter@yahoo.com
Relay for Life 2010
Our team raised almost $10,800 for the ACS Relay for Life that was held this past weekend...June 4th and 5th which placed us 2nd overall. Our chairman, Dee Graeber Patterson and her daughter-in-law, Darcy Patterson were great leaders and should be commended by all for their dedication and many hours of hard work for our team and for the American Cancer Society.
Thank you to all the classmates who participated with your generous donations and time. We are the best! We are the Class of 68 ~
To all our team mates and classmates of the Class of 68:
The relay is over but not the memories. It was such a joy to have so many classmates support us and even come from Phoenix, Longmont, Ft. Collins, Casper, Denver and of course Ol' Cheyenne to walk with us. For our 1st effort as the Class of 68 Team we didn't do too bad. The national average for money raised per team is $1500. OUR TEAM RAISED $10,759.00. We received 2nd in over all money raised only missing 1st by $325. We also took 2nd in best overall team relay theme. We couldn't have done it without all of you to support us. Darcy and I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and look forward to the relay next year. Maybe more of you can come walk with us. Our theme for next year is “Movies” so if any of you have any ideas, please send it our way.
Thank you so much and God Bless you all
Dee and Darcy Patterson
Relay for Life 2011
The 2011 Relay for Life is over and you can, once again, be proud of your Class of 1968 team! We came in second for dollars raised and took top honors for Best Overall Team. Our chairman, Dee Graeber Patterson and team member Jeri Burns Olsen were recognized for and received a T-Shirt for the Grand Club for raising over $1000 each. Dee also received the 3rd Top Individual Fundraiser Award and Jeri received the 2nd Top Individual Online Fundraiser Award. All in all, the relay was a huge success with over $110,000 raised in Laramie County.
A special thanks of appreciation goes to Dee and her daughter-in-law, Darcy Patterson, for their tremendous leadership and overwhelming dedication to their teams and this worthy event. The amount of time and devotion they put into this Relay is truly commendable. You folks have no idea!!! And special thanks to Dee's husband, Don, for his talent and much appreciated time in painting the "Gone With The Wind" tent site murals for Class of 68 Team I. They...were...beautiful!!!
Relay for Life 2012
Yeee...hawwww! You can pat yourselves on the back for a job "well done", or should I say a job "super well done"! The 2012 Relay for Life is now history and believe me, history was made! Your Class of 68 team came in first place this year raising $16,411 and beating the previous #1 team by about $3000. We made history by being the 1st team to raise more than $15,000 in the 19 years that the ACS Relay For Life has been held in Cheyenne. What an honor for the Class of 68! Thank you for your generous donations and support. We couldn't do this without you, our families and our friends. Our efforts and dedication to this cause is so worthwhile; knowing we helped in some way so that others affected by cancer may see themselves or their loved ones enjoy another birthday. Several team members were recognized for raising over $1000 each. All in all, the relay was a huge success with over $121,000 raised.
A special thanks of appreciation goes to Dee Graeber Patterson and her daughter-in-law, Darcy Patterson, for their tremendous leadership and overwhelming dedication to the team and this worthy event. The amount of time and devotion they put into this Relay is truly commendable.
Relay For Life 2013
Relay For Life 2013 is over...but our overall success as a team and as a community topped the charts this year! As a community, we raised over $130,000. Phenomenal!!! Our Class of 68 team again came in first place with our donations exceeding $19,300!!! Again, phenomenal! A huge thank you goes out to all the classmates that so generously supported our efforts. We, as the reunion committee, are proud to represent the Class of 68 in such a worthy cause and we applaud you; our classmates, family and friends because without your support we could not do this. Again, THANK YOU for believing in us and believing that some day during our lifetime we will hear the words "we have found a cure for cancer".
(Click tab "Photogs" for photos of the 2013 event)
Relay For Life 2016
We wish to thank our classmates, friends, family and employers for their generous donations and support in this years' Relay For Life. It was held at the new Okie Blanchard Stadium just east of East High School. It was great to be walking the track at our old stomping grounds again!! The theme for this year was "Paint Cheyenne Purple", so we donned our white painters suits and did just that! The awards ceremony at the end of the night was canceled as the Cheyenne skies burst open with a torrential rainstorm, but I believe we took 2nd this year. Much thanks to our chairman, Dee Graeber Patterson, for leading another strong campaign that the Class of 68 can be proud of.
