Belinda Valdez, and her sister Brenda Eyman are a two-woman wrecking crew of the North in the fight against cancer. The two co-chaired the fourth annual Relay for Life Del Norte June 27 and 28 in Tierra Amarilla. It was their second year co-chairing.
In the middle of a recession in a small isolated mountain village the group of 22 teams of 350 people raised $28,000. While that was a record for the group it once again earned them the Over-Goal Achievement award by the state association.
Valdez said when the money is all collected and counted she believes they’ll hit $30,000.
She’s been working with the group since its inception in 2006, the last two years as co-chair. She attributes the group’s success to the tight knit community and the way cancer has touched almost everyone’s life in some way, many directly.
“In March 2006 my dad was diagnosed with cancer,” Valdez said. “At the beginning of April it (the Relay) came up and that was our way to give back.”
And she’s not alone in that feeling. There are many committees and volunteers that meet throughout the year, planning, setting goals, making calls and recruiting people to participate. Valdez said they usually start work in February.
Monica Mercure heads the luminaria committee that recognizes victims and survivors of cancer. They coordinate the farolitos decorated with names of people who died of or are fighting cancer. They did 300 this year.
Mary Rendon chairs team retention, which goes after past teams and recruits new ones. They get the teams set up with packets and helps them down the road of fund-raising.
Steve Rendon works the internet by encouraging people to do everything online. The transient folks who can’t winter in Chama and Tierra Amarilla can participate from warmer areas during winter and spring.
The survivorship committee was originally chaired by Sue Windeck. Her committee tries to get past survivors to come participate. However, Windeck’s mother died of cancer in April and Valdez took over with Roxanna Baer’s help.
Of course the money matter would fall to a bank volunteer. Connie Candalaria from Community Bank chaired the accounting committee.
And the event would not fly without all the food, fun, events and gimmicks. That falls to the logistics committee, chaired by Donald Valdez.
Belinda Valdez’ father was given seven weeks to live. It’s hard to have hope after hearing a diagnosis like that.
“But we met an awesome doctor in Denver and he said, ‘Never give up.’” Belinda Valdez said. “My dad died a year-and-a-half later, after the relay ‘07.”
But she’s still with it and spearheading a very successful group of dedicated people. She attributes the group’s success to the small community.
“From highs school activities to people being sick, we come together,” Valdez said. “When my dad was sick, he had insurance but there are lots of other expenses. People in the community came through, they held raffles, they gave money.”
Valdez has a niece who was diagnosed with cancer recently. She’s 14 now.
“You see it in such a small community,” Valdez said. “This is the easiest way to give back and let people know they’re not alone in the fight. We’re with them.”