May 25 Fundraiser for American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Point Boro

Tickets are on sale now for "Empty Bowls," a May 25 dinner fundraiser for the Relay for Life event for the American Cancer Society at the Community Park in Point Borough in June.

The "Empty Bowls" fundraiser will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the borough high school.

Tickets are $8 for students and $12 for adults if purchased by Saturday. Prices are $10 for students and $15 for adults if purchased at the door.

The admission price includes a handmade bowl created by high school students or by Laplaca Pottery Works, 1002 A Trenton Ave., Point Pleasant Beach, a pasta dinner cooked by the students, beverages and dessert. Irie Sound will provide the music.

The idea for the fundraiser is based on a national "Empty Bowls" fundraising movement, often used to raise money for hunger-related charities.

"However, the high school art students wanted to make a concentrated effort to raise money for the American Cancer Society," said district spokesperson Jacquelyn Goss.

"The students' collaborative efforts are very impressive," Goss noted. "Many of our three-dimensional art students, under teacher Denise Minnig, created handmade pottery bowls, home ec students are making food and other students will be acting as servers on the night of the event."

"Empty Bowls" is donating proceeds to Relay for Life to be held at the Community Park on Bridge Avenue on June 11 and 12. The local event is one of many being held around the country to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Bradley Bennett, one of chief organizers of the local Relay for Life, said the event will begin with a Survivors' Dinner where all cancer survivors are welcome with a guest.

"Then at our opening ceremonies, we also honor our survivors by giving them a nice medallion and ask them to start off our relay by walking the first lap," Bennett said. "After that, we have our participants, in teams, walk the track throughout the entire evening.

"We ask one person from each team to stay on the track at all times and our event goes overnight," he said. "Just like cancer never sleeps, for one night as a community all of us will not sleep.

"To help keep people motivated and energized we will have some great entertainment and activities all night long," Bennett said.

Bands will perform, but only until 10 p. m. There will also be "games, fun-themed laps for teams to participate in and some moving and motivational ceremonies," he said.

"At dawn, we will announce our total raised so far and all of that money raised goes to the American Cancer Society for its research, advocacy, education, and patient and family services," Bennett said.

For more information, please see the district website.