pictureHOPE: the infallible spirit of HOPE

In Edmonton, saying, "If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes..." is literal.  In the 2 weeks leading up to the Relay, we have had everything from sweating-while-already-sitting-in-the-pool to wind storms to light rain to this:

But here's the great thing about Edmontonians: we have come to expect anything, and when the going gets snowing, we just slap on our toques and go about our business, even if that business happens to be pitching a tent in an open field to pull an over-nighter.

While most events were moved indoors, there were lots of die-hards who refused to have their spirit dampened by a little of the white stuff.  They ran, they walked, they talked, they sang, they carried on in the truest spirit of the Relay for Life's premise for the 12-hour annual walk: cancer doesn't rest, so we can't rest in the fight to find a cure.  This year's infallible Relayers raised in excess of $400,000 towards Fighting Back against this horrible disease.

This year, the amazing group of photographers who comply with my begging and pleading to come and help me out were given a unique opportunity to try combining our mission with the Children's Tent.  While there weren't a lot of children and many people stayed inside as much as possible, we stayed out until the wee hours ensuring we got as many team pics as possible.  You'll have to wait for some of the other photographers' links to get the complete story on this team, Cordwells vs. Cancer, which is nothing shy of amazing.  I promise I'll make Helena of Apple Fresh share :)

Now, of course, after a few too many coffees, not much sleep, and not as much walk-in traffic as we had hoped for in light of the icky weather, we did have an opportunity to play in the Photobooth ourselves.  While I'm not what anyone would call a Lady Gaga fan, I admit I suffer an inability to get her infuriatingly catchy pop tunes out of my head.  And when you have several rolls of hot-pink pink duct tape, why WOULDN'T you create a Gaga-inspired outfit and try a few dance moves?  You can see more Photobooth images at the zoomphoto site here.

All silliness aside, there's always a point in the evening where I am overwhelmed with emotion, and that moment for me this year came from my vantage point on the bleachers.  As I mentioned, most activities were moved in to the Saville Centre this year, the team spirit lap of the Celebrate Ceremony still took place outside.  The track had been virtually empty aside of a few stragglers, and suddenly they came.  Hundreds of them.  Pouring out of the Saville and lapping the track like they were unstoppable.  And unstoppable they were.

When life gives us snow, we make snowmen.

*images in this post excluding Lady Gaga copyright Canadian Cancer Society