KidsCare Fun Raises Awareness For Cancer Cause

June 14, 2009 by John Rook

Nicholas and Lauren Meringola were ready for a rainy night last Friday, as the youngsters crowded around the KidsCare tent at the 13th Annual Relay For Life of Cheshire event. Both Nicholas, 7, and Lauren, 4, wore clear plastic hooded ponchos over their normal outfits and baseball caps, dripping with moisture, on their heads.
But, once the two got their hands on a few chocolate-covered cupcakes, courtesy of Highland School, the rain couldn’t come close to dampening their spirits.
“This is the first time we have come,” explained Jennifer Meringola, a teacher at Highland School and Nicholas and Lauren’s mother. “It is really a great event, even if it is raining.”
The annual KidsCare fundraiser is a unique part of each Relay For Life event, bringing children together to try and raise money and awareness of cancer research.
“We are really in a can’t lose situation,” commented Cheryl McNamee, who helped organize the event. “Obviously, we want to raise money for the cause, but we also want to teach the students that it is a great ability to be able to give back like this.”
Each one of the elementary schools in town, along with Dodd Middle School, participate in the event, and parent volunteers help organize different activities that take place throughout the afternoon and early evening for the kids. While the Highland School table had cupcakes for sale, the Norton School table was offering fake tattoos and glitter, Doolittle School had some make-your-own candied apples, and the Chapman School table featured a very special guest — Rocky the Rock Cat.
Rocky was certainly a hit with the younger crowd, including 5-year-old Will Vianese, who got a special gift from the baseball team mascot.
“He put it right on there,” said Vianese, as he lifted up his pant leg to show a small, red plastic band that was secured to his ankle. “That’s great,” he continued, smiling at the sight.
According to McNamee, 204 students signed up to participate in the event, but the weather kept a portion of those away. “Some people stayed home, but a lot more decided to come out,” she said.
In total, $3,500 was raised at KidsCare, McNamee stated, which is down from previous years but still, she insisted, a testament to the type of positive attitude people took during the event.
“Would we all have liked a nice sunny day? Of course, but we decided, hey, it is what it is,” McNamee. “We decided to try and make the rain a part of the occasion.”
That was an easy sell to some of the students on hand, who seemed more than happy to enjoy a day in the rain. Just outside of the KidsCare tent, students could be seen throwing a beach ball and kicking another plastic ball around in a less-than-organized but extremely enjoyable game of soccer.
“They were drenched,” laughed McNamee.
Inside the tent, Doolittle student Alex Housemann, 11, was busy making himself an impressive candied apple that had everything from caramel and nuts to chocolate chips and sprinkles dripping from its side. “I tried to get everything,” he joked.
It was the sixth time that Housemann had attended a Relay For Life event and his mother, Robyn Housemann, insisted the cause was one very near to the family’s heart.
“We have a lot of family members who have died or suffered because of cancer,” said Robyn Housemann. “This is really a great way to see how the community comes together.”
“When you see how much people can raise, you realize how much of a difference people can make,” she continued.
Norton students Alea Vernon and Kirsten Slade spent their time going back and forth between tables in the KidsCare tent, staying dry while trying everything that was available.
Slade and her family had planned to leave before the night was over, but Vernon was ready for a long night.
“We are camping out,” said Vernon, “which is great for me because I love camping.”