Relay for Life brings out the pirates

Radio personality Storm Roberts served up spirits pirate style at the Alachua/High Springs Relay for Life Pink & Purple Party.  Roberts was one of several celebrity servers pitching in to raise funds at the Great Outdors Cafe in High Springs.

HIGH SPRINGS – A couple from Dixie County, wearing purple shirts, sat side by side on the patio of the Great Outdoors Restaurant last Thursday evening.

The back of his shirt read “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step.”

David and Toni Warner, along with a multitude of other people, gathered on April 10 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the downtown restaurant in High Springs.

They came to raise money and awareness, as well as have fun for the Alachua and High Springs Relay for Life Committee’s second annual Pink & Purple Party.

“I’m here so that other people can be survivors,” Toni Warner said.

The shirt is dedicated to her. For 16 years she fought a personal battle with breast cancer.

Toni Warner explained that one of the reasons for her survival was because attitude is everything. “And, I have one of those,” she said laughing.

Warner also wants people to know that awareness and early detection was key to her survival. “Don’t wait until you feel something,” she said. “If I did, I wouldn’t be here. Early detection is curable,” she said, smiling as she holds her husband, David Warner’s hand.

Everyone attending was supporting a Relay for Life team, labeled with a sticker noting which team would benefit from the proceeds of their dinner.

Gib Coerper, mayor of Alachua, supported Mebane Middle School.

“I haven’t been in junior high in 50 years,” he said, laughing.

Mayor Coerper also hoped that Thursday’s event would exceed last year. “I hope that this year is a record year,” he said.

And, it proved to be. Last year, according to Sharon Yeago, Relay for Life event co-chair for High Springs and Alachua, the party raised $2,000. This year, the event made about $3,500.

“The Pink and Purple Party on the Patio was another great success this year. We are so grateful to the Great Outdoors staff for the outstanding job they did to make this such a great event,” Yeago said.

She was also pleased to add that the City of Alachua signed up for a Relay Team at the event. “This really capped off the night with the recruitment of our 22nd team for this year’s Relay,” she said.

In addition to the success, there were also raffles throughout the evening, as well as tickets sold for raffles to be given away on the day of relay, which will be May 9 and 10 at the High Springs’ Civic Center.

There was also a section in the corner of the patio for people to buy and decorate luminaria bags These bags will be lit up on the track at the civic center during Relay for Life to represent survivors and the memories of loved ones.

“It’s nice to do in memory of loved ones. They’re very pretty,” said Patti Lamneck, who was selling and decorating her own luminaria bags at the event.

A highlight of the evening was the staff of celebrity bartenders who came from Alachua, High Springs and Gainesville for the event. “We are also grateful to the celebrity bartenders and supporters who gave gifts and made donations at the event,” Yeago said.

The celebrity bartenders were also decked out in colorful pirate attire, and included radio personality Storm Roberts of KTK 98.5, the “morning drive guy.”

“I’m a cancer survivor, and this is real close to my heart,” Roberts said. “And, it’s always fun to dress like a pirate,” he added, smiling while sporting his three-cornered black pirate hat and shiny beads that complemented his pirate garb.

Roberts also added that the main goal of the event is to raise awareness. “I talk about it on my radio show, to let people know what is going on, and to bring it to life,” he said.

He is an advocate to stop childhood cancer, and also added that the more people do to fight cancer, the more people are doing to fight for a cure.

And, he said, “When you get everyone together at events like this, everybody wins.”

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