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Relay for Life marking 25 years in Martin Co.

At 4 p.m. Friday, the Martin County Relay for Life will begin at the Martin County Fairgrounds. However, this year is a little different, as it marks the 25th anniversary, making it something special for organizers and participants alike.

Rick and Deb DeBoer of Fairmont have been involved with the Relay since its beginning, and were able to share some of the history of the event, as well as their involvement and memories.

“In 1993, they came to me for a sign, and that’s kind of how it got started,” Rick said. “So we did a big banner for them, which at one time hung across the street at Downtown Plaza. Then a lady who lived down the street was in charge of luminaries, and she got cancer just about two weeks before the Relay, and she asked us to help.”

“And then our kids were also involved in 4-H and so we had a team,” Deb said. “So we ended up with a sign, being luminary chair, and a team, so we were in deep even then. We also got involved because when I was 13 my brother died of cancer, and in 1998 my dad died of cancer.”

Deb went on to share that the first Relay for Life was held in Tacoma, Washington, and the first in Minnesota was held in Red Wing.

“A gal from Fairmont had been to that one, and she started Martin County’s the next year,” she said. “So Martin County is one of the oldest Relay for Life’s in Minnesota. Blue Earth, Watonwan and Jackson all came to our relay the next year to learn how to do it and get their own going.”

Deb also shared that in those early years, the Relays were named by the communities that put them together. The one for Martin County was called the “Sisseton Stroll,” due to the event being held at the Day Farm, now Heritage Acres. The top prize for fundraising was a watercolor of the logo. It just so happened that the DeBoer’s daughter was the top fundraiser for that year, earning the prize.

Rick said he believed the event moved to the fairgrounds around 1995 or 1996.

“It was a good move,” Deb said. “It was better for traffic. Of course, some people thought it wouldn’t be the same, but it turned out just fine. The interesting thing about that is that it is now held in the Shorty Schmidtke Memorial Park, which is named for my dad.”

The DeBoers say they are glad to see the event still going strong at 25 years, and they encourage people to come out and take part.

“There are so many people involved and so many great organizations; it takes a lot of effort and it’s wonderful to see,” Deb said.

Bryon Kittleson of Welcome also remembers the event from when it was first known as the Sisseton Stroll.

“We’ve always provided the stage and our band, the BeeKays, every year rain or shine,” he said. “We’ve moved it inside when there’s bad weather, and it’s cool to see the luminaries all lit up inside.”

He said the event’s timing has changed this year, from July to June, due to the time in July corresponding with Welcome’s celebration weekend. When asked about his memories over the years, Bryon shared one that was close to him.

“Two years ago, one of our daughter’s classmate’s moms had passed away,” he said. “So she sang the fight song, which has kind of been an anthem, not just for cancer survivors, but for survivors of abuse or anything like that. We wrote the words down on poster-boards and all of the survivors came and sang the song with us, which was a highlight for us.”

Kittleson said his own grandmother passed away from breast cancer in the 1950s and he recently lost a brother-in-law to bone cancer in February this year. He also has several other relatives who have fought the disease.

“It just hits everybody, and now it’s affecting immediate family,” he said. “One thing my brother-in-law said before he died that touched me was that if people wanted to make a donation in his name he wanted it to go towards children’s cancer research because no child should have to go through what he went through.”

One of the things Kittleson likes about the Relay and that he would like to emphasize is that those who give know directly where their money is going.

“I think what we like about the Relay for Life is that a high percentage of the funds collected go directly to cancer research,” he said. “It’s always a big deal when there are big events like Race for the Cure, but if you look at the statistics and look at the actual amount of funds collected from that actually go to cancer research, it’s really low. You have to be careful with charities, and it’s always better to donate locally because you know a very high percentage of it goes where it needs to go.”

Kittleson doesn’t just enjoy providing music, he enjoys making donations and purchasing luminaries as well. He notes that the fight song will be sung again this year, and he is willing to try and do any theme songs that teams may have.

Registration and the silent auction begin at 4 p.m., with laps at 5:30 p.m. A meal will be served from 5-7 p.m., and the live auction starts at 7:05 p.m., when the silent auction closes. Events will end at midnight with the closing ceremony and balloon release.

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