WHIDBEY
ISLAND LIVING Page A12
Juggling act
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Saturday, January 18, 2014 • Whidbey News Times
Volunteers who run Relay for Life of Whidbey Island balance time with devotion to fighting cancer
By RON NEWBERRY Staff reporter
T
he hat wasn’t one Mary Brock would ordinarily choose for a public speaking engagement. Not only did it make her head feel too hot, she admitted that it looked kind of silly. But that was the idea. As one of the chief organizers of the Relay for Life of Whidbey Island, Brock understands that most people involved in the fight against cancer can use a little humor in their lives. She dressed the part with a clown cap as she spoke before more than 100 people who gathered at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge Wednesday night for the kickoff rally for the 2014 Relay for Life of Whidbey Island. Although the room had a festive feel with jugglers on hand as part of this year’s “Carnival of Hope” theme, Brock got the audience’s attention early on by making a sobering point. She told the group that she knew of two people whose lives were claimed by cancer and another whose condition required life-changing surgery.
Luminary sacks lined the track at North Whidbey Middle School last year to remember those who had lost their battle to cancer.
How to help Those interested in learning more or getting involved with Relay for Life of Whidbey Island may send an email to relaywhidbey@gmail.com, or go to the website at www.relayforlife.org and type whidbey into the event search. Another option is to call 1-800227-2345. The 2014 event is May 30-31 at North Whidbey Middle School in Oak Harbor.
And that was only since the beginning of January. It is statistics like those that keep Brock and her husband Kelly active almost yearround in helping organize the annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society on Whidbey Island. “It makes me want to fight even harder,” Mary Brock said. “I told Kelly I will fight until people stop dying.” The Brocks, who live in Oak Harbor, are part of a committee of more than 30 organizers who volunteer significant amounts of their time in the fight against cancer. The Whidbey Island event will take place May 30-31 at North Whidbey Middle School in Oak Harbor, however, the work doesn’t end until fundraising stops in late summer. And, in a way, the work never ends. “Last year, it ended August 30,” Brock said, “and we had our first (2014) committee meeting in September. It’s a year-long commitment when you’re on the committee.” The Brocks got involved in Relay for Life in Oak Harbor in 2006, a year after Kelly’s sister, Wendi VanTine, died from cancer. “The same year, his brother was diagnosed with cancer,” Mary Brock said, referring to Kevin Brock, who is now in remission. “We
Photos by Ron Newberry/Whidbey News-Times
Joy Thompson of the Whidbey Island Jugglers practices her craft during the kickoff rally of the 2014 Relay for Life of Whidbey Island Wednesday night at the Oak Harbor Elks Lodge. This year’s theme for the May 30-31 event is “Carnival of Hope.” decided to join the fight.” Since 2009, the Brocks have served on the committee, and each year, seem eager to take on more responsibility. For the second year in a row, Mary Brock is serving as team development coordinator, while her husband continues to be in charge of logistics. It is Mary Brock’s job to recruit teams for Relay for Life and organize monthly rally meetings. Her husband is responsible for coordinating the setup and teardown of the Relay for Life event and the monthly meetings, among other tasks. “This year, they are the backbone of Relay,” said Leandra Reuble, chair of the Relay for Life of Whidbey Island. “They are the folks who are always at every meeting. They’re always willing to support the other committee members. They’re the first ones to step up and say, ‘I’ll do it.’ They go so far above and beyond.” Like so many of the volunteers, Reuble also was impacted by the loss of loved ones to cancer. She lost her
Kelly Brock, left, and his wife Mary of Oak Harbor have been committee members with the Relay for Life of Whidbey Island since 2009 and are tasked with team recruitment and logistics, among other responsibilities. “I told Kelly I will fight until people stop dying,” Mary Brock said. grandfather and father to the disease when she was a teenager. She got involved with Relay for Life eight years ago, spearheading a team from Midway High School, the Oak Harbor School District’s alternative high school program, where she teaches English. This is her first year handling the event chair post alone, as she served as co-chair with Karla Sharkey last year. “I think the thing that
brings me back every year is the kids’ participation,” Reuble said. “This is something that they feel very good about participating in. The more involved I get, the move involved they get to be.” Mary Brock said she and her husband’s involvement in Relay for Life is a passion. They have busy lives. Both are retired from the Navy but still work for separate contractors that serve VAQ-129 at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. Mary is a programs analyst, while Kelly works
on intricate aircraft systems, including safety devices. Still, there is room for Relay for Life. “It is something I will never tire of,” Mary Brock said. The Brocks take pride in their participation. Mary Brock said she was told by a representative from the American Cancer Society that Whidbey has the best attendance at rally meetings of any other Relay for Life group north of Everett. SEE RELAY, A13