Relay for Life 2015

By BRYCE BERGINSKIPierce County Tribune ReporterLifelong Rugby resident Kathy

Bonn calls May 17 the start of “ajourney for my family.”Twenty years ago her husband,

Fred, had a heart attack. Two yearsago, at the age of 63, her lifechanged during a check-up.Dr. Tammie Harder found a

small lump in Kathy’s breast. Thisled to a mammogram, an ultra-sound, a core needle biopsy (wherea large, hollow needle takes smallcylinders of tissue from the abnor-mal area on the breast) and an ulti-mate diagnosis of triple negativebreast cancer – a form that affects10 to 20 percent of patients.“I actually had a hard time find-

ing the lump after (the doctor)showed me where it was, whichwas a good thing. They caught it

early,” Kathy said.Kathy said the diagnosis came

with no real warning signs.“Before I had my appointment,

there were no bells going off. I did-n’t feel sick by any means, I felthealthy. There was no knocking onmy head saying, ‘Hey, you’re notfeeling good, you gotta get thischecked,’” Kathy said.An aggressive form, triple nega-

tive breast cancers are more diffi-cult to treat because they do notexpress genes for hormones,including estrogen and proges-terone. Kathyunderwent a lumpec-tomy (surgically cutting the lump),

and later a mastectomy (cuttingpart of or the entire breast) on July5, 2013, at the Roger Maris CancerCenter at Sanford Health in Fargo.She thenunderwent chemotherapyand radiation treatments, finishingbefore Thanksgiving 2013.Kathy said the painful part was-

n’t the discomfort after surgery, butthe first chemo treatment. She hada reaction to the treatment thatlanded her a brief trip to the emer-gency room.“That night was awful,” Kathy

said.Cancer didn’t just affect her in

the two years since her diagnosis

and treatment. Kathy recalls losinga good friend of hers, RichardWest,and a classmate losing her hus-band.Despite a cancer diagnosis,

Kathy kept working. She worked atMcGuire for 35 years, and, to date,works part time at TBEI (RugbyManufacturing).“I had a classmate of mine who

was diagnosed, it would be 10years now, she told me, ‘The bestthing you cando is go back towork.Don’t sit at home and fret about it,or worry yourself to death,’” Kathysaid.This year, at 65, Kathy has been

named the Honorary Survivor forthis year’s Relay for Life, whichtakes place June 5 at Johnsen Fieldin Rugby. She hopes that she canbe seen as a positive influence, andthat cancer can be beaten.“People need to know that you

can’t just sit back and say, ‘Ohwell,it’s not gonna happen to (me).’ Youneed to be vigilant about it,” Kathysaid. “It’s something you can sur-vive, it isn’t always a death sen-tence for everyone.Kathy joins several area cancer

survivors, including last year’sRelay speaker Jody Tuchschererand Denise Myhre.“She’s living her life wonderful-

ly andwas a great steward for beinga survivor for Relay for Life,” Kathysaid of Myhre. “I just hope in somesmall way I can do as well as shehas and let people know this is notsomething to be afraid of.”

Relay for Life June 2015

Bonn named honorary survivor“Before I had my appointment, there were no bells going off. I didn’t feel sick

by any means, I felt healthy. There was no knocking on my head saying, ‘Hey,you’re not feeling good, you gotta get this checked.’”

— Lifelong Rugby resident Kathy Bonn

®Northern Equipment® Daryl’s Refrigeration

Chillers® Event PlanningCommittee

®Marie’s Blessings®Midco

®Northern Lights LionsClub

® Trucking for a Cure® Jumpin For Jack® Follman Farms ...Farming for a Cure

® I design® Pink Panthers® TeamAshley

® Pawing for a Cure—RHS Varsity Football

Cheer Team® Bucket Brigade® Rugby PoliceDepartment

2015 Pierce CountyRelay for Lifeteam names

4 p.m.® Team

Registration® Campsite set up

5 p.m.® Relay Store

Opens® Silent Auctionbidding begins

5:30 p.m.® Free WillDonation

® CommunitySupper6 p.m.

® SurvivorRegistration

6:45 p.m.® Team Line

Up/Team picture7 p.m.

®OpeningCeremony-

Broadcast liveon KZZJ 1450

Radio;Welcome by Sharon

Houim;Prayer by PastorDon Barness;

Relay for LifeJune 2015

2015 PierceCounty

Relay for Lifeschedule

See RELAY — Page 4


National Anthemsung by Ely

Elementary Choir;Color Guard pro-vided by RugbyAmerican Legion;Honorary Speaker

Kathy Bonn® Introductionof Teams andSponsors

®Survivor Lap…ACelebration of

Hope!8 p.m.

® Walking andActivities/Give

Away® Music provided

by R & REntertainment

® First LutheranChurch Pizza Party

10 p.m.® LuminariaCeremony ...Lighting andReading names

10:30 p.m.® Glow RunRegistration10:45 p.m.

® Memory LanternCeremony

RelayContinued from Page 3

See RELAY — Page 5


11 p.m.® Fireworks

11:30 p.m.® Glow Run ...

Daryl’sRefrigerationChillers

Glow in the Darkactivities: center of

the field12 a.m.

® Relay Store andSilent Auction

Close1 a.m.

® Final Bank- AllMoney Needs to be

turned in2 a.m.

® Walking Ceases,Closing Ceremony,

Final Prize,Campsite Cleanup

Games and activi-ties throughout the

evening. Times yet tobe determined forGlow in the Darkbowling, Wacky

Hairdos, Photo booth,Jail and Bail and

Mug Shot photos toname a few!

RelayContinued from Page 4


2015 PierceCounty

Relay for Lifecommitteemembers

ChairLaRae Senechal

Co-ChairDarci Gross

Team RelationsMandy

Kuhnhennand Tami Ness

Accounting/RegistrationMichelle Lakeand BrendaKoehmstedt

Online ChairSyAnn Graberand SharonPedersonLogistics

Shelley BlockSurvivorshipTerri Jacobsonand Sid Nelson

PublicityDaunne Heilman

LuminariaMandy

See PLAN — Page 7


Kuhnhennand Faye Hoffart

AdvocacySharon Pedersonand George Gray

EntertainmentJennifer Sukoand Ashley

StrickerSponsorshipDarci Grossand LaRaeSenenchalOpening

CeremoniesJody Tuchscherer

Relay StoreYvette and SamiRosemarynowski

and ColeenStutrud

FoodFirst Lutheran

Churchand RugbyJayCee’s

Silent Auction/Donations

VonnieDegenstein

and Stacy Jaeger

PlanContinued from Page 6

June 5, 2015

HOPE CLUB MEMBER

GOLD

SILVER

Relay For Life ofPierce County

RoletteWildlife Club

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Come & let yourhunger be satisifed

Authentic Mexican FoodAuthentic Mexican Food

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Minot Relay Sponsors

(Subject to change) All events are open to the public.More activities to be added as confirmed.

4-7 p.m.® Knocker Ball

4-9:30 p.m.® Bouncy Castles

® Relay Store is open4-9:45 p.m.

® Silent Auction5:30 p.m.

® Hot Dogs served by Trinity Cancer Care to all survivors7 p.m.

® Opening Ceremony® Survivor Lap immediately following opening ceremony

® Team Parade Immediately following survivor lap7-8:45 p.m.

® Miss Relay9:15 p.m.

® Announce Miss Relay winner10 p.m.

® Luminaria Ceremony10:30 p.m.

® Missy’s Band11 p.m.

® Soap Box Derby1 a.m.

® Team Captain Party2 a.m.

® Frozen t-shirt contest and frozen scavenger hunt3 a.m.

® Zumba4-5 a.m.

® Breakfast6-6:15 a.m.

® Awards/Closing Ceremony

2015 MinotRelay for Life schedule


Proud Sponsor ofRelay for Life


701.852.10011415 S. Broadway • Minot, ND, 58701

#OvercomeMaria Stroemer

5th Floor CrewJennifer Stringer

Banking on a CureVirginia Deibert

Becky’s BallerinasAngela Stratton

Blue Cross BlueShield of North

DakotaLaura Neumiller

Boys & Girls Clubof the Three

Affiliated TribesMary Beth Jarski

Boys & Girls Clubof the Three

Affiliated Tribes IIJacobi Jarski

CM SuperstarsJennifer Stringer

Cake Full of CandlesLindsay Ries

Cancer CrushersMandy Miller

Carpio Relayfor Life

Jodi Johnson

Cognizant of CancerRosa Emilia Berg

CommitteeKim Hunt

Derailing CancerCeleste Hauser

Dream TeamJennifer Mazingo

Elbowoods Warriorsfor Life

Ramona Danks

Firefighters for aCure

Charles Gage

HealthSourceChiropracticJadian Mack

Ilze’s AngelsKaren Walz

IslandersDoris Holen

JakePaul Siebert

Ken’s CrewErica Copeland

Lighting the WayJudy Olson

Lil Mamas FamilyMyya Falcon

MASHSharon Reistad

Mama’s FamilyHeidi Llewellyn

Minot LumberNancy Skalbeck

Minot PAIzabella Sullivan

Moose MafiaAlicia Roman

Operations SupportSquadron

Kendra Goff

Purple BananasAlyssa Proper

REM NDDawn Anderson

SRT CommunityWellness WalkersCindy Obenchain

Scrapping out CancerLori Francis

St. John the ApostleWyrene Ramirez

Surrey SuperstarsSusan Ladlee

Swing’n for a CureJanice Hanson

TCCU StarsKathleen Henjum

Team CarebearsTeri Nelson

Team Red,White & Blue

Kevin Ragsdale

Team SamanthaJessica Baker

Team T-Q-INicole Villagrana

Team TealLyndsey Hoffer

The Go-For GirlsKimberly Whitish

The Minot CrusadersJames Falcon

Thorman AgencyThorman Ins & Fin

Services Inc.

TrailblazersTonya McKinney

Trinity LifesaversLaura Miller

TumoraTorSErika Porter

Walking For MorAshley Counts

Walmart CarebearsVicky Zeretzke

Walmart Carebears 2Krista Sanford

White DrugJulie Jacobson

Hoofin if for a CureDawn Kolden

2015 Minot Relay for Life Teams and Captains

Event Co-chairKim Hunt

Event Co-chairMarci Nelson

Accounting ChairCindy Obenchain

Luminaria Co-ChairKristin Bogar

Luminaria Co-ChairKristin Schwartz

Marketingand PublicityKari Block

Mission DeliveryChair

Ellen SipmaMission Delivery

MemberRosa Berg

Facebook ChairKim WhitishOnline ChairMark HuntRegistrationCo-ChairLori Francis

RegistrationCo-Chair

Jared FrancisSponsorship Chair

Ruby HoodSurvivorship ChairHeidi Llewellyn

Survivorshipmember

Diana FowlerActivities

and EntertainmentKaren BrownSilent AuctionTonya McKinney

Relay StoreMary Locken

and Diana FowlerMisc. Committeemembers/floatersAlyssa Staggs

Laurie StawiszynkskiCarly Gates


Gordy's Vision

Dr. Klatt had a purpose when he began the 24-hour Relay in 1985. The

significance of daytime and nighttime coincides with the journey that all

cancer patients go through.

Clear your mind and picture...

It's daylight. Life is wonderful. You're healthy, happy and looking

forward to the future. You're looking forward to your child's dance

recital or taking your child to Disney World for a vacation. You're

looking forward to the new house you just bought. You have a new dream

job that you're thrilled about.

But then...darkness falls.

You hear those words "You've got cancer", or worse, your child had

cancer. Your life has suddenly become very dark. You don't know what

the outcome will be. You feel there is no hope in sight. You start your

treatments. You're nauseous and you have no hair. You're exhausted

from caring for your child and from the agony knowing there's nothing

you can do to make him healthy again. You couldn't possible feel any

worse.

Until...

The sun starts to rise. The tumor is shrinking. Your treatments are

working. You're getting your appetite back. Your child feels well enough

to go out and play for just a few minutes. There is hope.

It is now daylight and you're in remission. You have your life back.

You've made it through the night and the darkness. You celebrate life in

the daylight knowing that the darkness of nighttime is behind you.

That is why we Relay, This is why Relay is an overnight event.

2015 Minot Relay for Life committee members

1201 11th Avenue SW • Minot, ND 58701 • Phone 701-858-6700 • Toll Free 1-800-841-7321Hours – Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

www.centerforfamilymedicine.net

• OB/GYN Care• Newborn Care• Well Child Visits• Pediatrics

Need A Doctor?• Preventative Healthcare• Mental Health• Geriatric Care• Full Service Pharmacy


By JILL HAMBEKStaff Writerjhambek

@minotdailynews.comHeroes come in all shapes

and sizes and are not always thetypical sort who rush into aburning building to save a dogor jump into shark-infestedwater to rescue a child. Heroesof Hope for the AmericanCancer Society are heroes of adifferent kind. Kim Whitish,closing specialist at NorthDakota Guaranty and TitleCompany in Minot, is a hero ofthe latter kind.

Whitish was recently namedaHero ofHope for theAmericanCancer Society. The Hero ofHopeaward ispresented to indi-vidualswho showanexemplaryinvolvement with Relay for Lifeand are symbols of hope for allthose battling cancer. Heroesprovide a visible symbol of per-sonal victory over cancer andencourage support and partici-pation in the programs of theAmerican Cancer Society.

“Cancer survivors inspire us,reaffirm our mission with theAmerican Cancer Society andreinforce, in a personal way, the

need to eliminate cancer fromour lives, within our lifetime.HeroesofHope represent all sur-vivors, especially those whocannot speak for themselves,”said Whitish.

She was nominated byLaurie Odden, the Relay for Lifecommunity manager for theMinot area.Whitish said shehasworked closely with Oddensince joining the Relay for Lifecommittee in 2006.

After Whitish was notified ofher nomination, she had to gothrough a selection process.That involved writing an essaytelling her cancer story and herinvolvement with Relay for Life,which was then reviewed by apanel of judges who chose theHeroes of Hope for 2015.Whitish was one of 12 peoplechosen from a 12-state radius,she said, spanning from Alaskato North Dakota.

“I was extremely surprised tobe selected as a 2015 Hero ofHope,” said Whitish. “Therewere so many wonderful sur-vivors who were nominated, Iwas shocked that I was pickedas one of the amazing represen-tations of the American CancerSociety and Relay for Life.”

Being selectedas a2015Heroof Hope is an unbelievablehonor, Whitish said. The sur-vivorswho she shares the awardwith are truly amazing people,she added. “They bring hope toa whole new level,” Whitishsaid. “To know that I have hadthat effect on people and havebeen recognized for it is justamazing.”

As a Hero of Hope, Whitishrepresent Relay For Life andother American Cancer Societyprograms and the AmericanCancer Society in public bytelling her “story” and the bene-fits of the American CancerSociety through her journey.Some of Whitish’s dutiesinclude speaking at Relay forLife and other American CancerSociety events and functions,participating in Hero of Hopetraining and conference calls,recruitingother cancer survivorsand caregivers to attend theirlocal Relay for Life event, active-ly participating in your localRelay for Life event and helpingto grow survivor participation inRelay for Life.

In 2006, Whitish was diag-nosed with stage 1 melanoma.

Helping people,offering hope

Submitted photoKim Whitish, closing specialist at North Dakota Guaranty and TitleCompany in Minot, along with being a two-time cancer survivor,was recently named a Hero of Hope for the American CancerSociety.See HERO — Page 15


She had surgery in March of thatyear and was deemed cancer free.However, then in 2013, Whitishwas diagnosed with stage 2 breastcancer. After a double mastectomyand 16 rounds of chemo, exactlyeight months after her diagnosis,Whitish was again deemed cancerfree.

“During each of my diagnoses,the American Cancer Societyplayed an important part in myjourney,” she added. “The 1-800-ACS-2345 info line is available 24hours a day, seven days a week toanswer questions and connect youto survivors you can speak to aboutyour diagnosis.” Also, Whitish saidACS provided a wig and participa-tion in the “Look Good, Feel Better”program completely free of charge.Those two items helped her to dealwithher changing lookduring treat-ment, she added.

Whitish began her involvementwith Relay for Life in 2004 to cele-brate the fight of her Grandpa Johnas a team member, she said. In2005, she was remembering him ashe had lost his battle withesophageal cancer, as a team cap-tain. In 2006, Whitish joined theRelay for Life committee and havebeen involved in as many rolesincluding team development chair,event chair, Facebook coordinatorand team captain ever since.

Relay for Life is an amazingevening of celebration, remem-brance and fighting back, Whitishsaid. “As I walk the Survivor Lap, Iam overwhelmed with the love andsupport, not only of the other sur-vivors, but of the communityaround us,” she added. “As webegin theLuminariaCeremony, andI see each candle lit, representingsomeone who has been touched bycancer, I know why I am indeedfighting back. Going through thedarkest hours of the night, thelongest hours, remembering thatcancer never sleeps and neither dowe. The sunrise and knowing thatwe have made it through the nightand again into the light.Wewill cel-ebrate a new day and continue thefightuntil thewords, ‘Youhave can-cer,’ are eliminated from our vocab-ulary.”

HeroContinued from Page 14 ® Team Care Bears will

be selling cotton candy® Thorman Insurance

will be doing a duct tapeactivity and serving break-fast in the morning

® Mama’s Family/Lilmama’s family- face paint-ing, BBQ pork, lots ofsweets, beverages otherkid’s activities, sucker tree,carnival games, prizes foreveryone

® Moose Mafia — Hotdogs, chili dogs, chili

cheese dogs, nacho, chili,chili cheese nachos, lemon-ade

® The Go-For Girls —sausage on a stick, dessertson a stick, All night pokerrun

® Trinity Lifesavers —bounce house, hot dogs,popcorn, cake pops, coffee,hot cocoa, water and pop

® SRT — Brats , hotdogs, chips, baked goods

® Wal Mart — lap beads,pulled pork sandwiches

® Firefighters for a cure— Pulled Pork Parfait,video game dance contest

® Banking on a Cure —Sloppy Joes, chips, desserts

® Scrapping Out cancer— VIVI jewelry

® Be Cognizant ofCancer will be selling hamsandwiches

® Trinity Cancer Care —will be honoring survivorsby giving away hotdogs

® Something for every-one!! Come join us!

2015 Minot Relay for Life team activities

Relay for Life 2015

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