Homecoming bonfire lights the night for fighting cancer

Cheerleaders pump up the crowd at the “Light the Night” fundraising event on Sept. 28 at Bay High School. Photo by Denny Wendell

The Bay Village community came together on the evening of Sept. 28 to participate in “Light the Night” at Bay High Memorial stadium. The event raised $7,500 to benefit The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) and its funding of research to find blood cancer cures.

Last year Bay High turned its traditional homecoming bonfire toward this greater purpose. The event also acknowledged the courage and strength of students of Bay Village that are affected by this cancer. Honorees included Luke (Normandy Elementary), Molly (Westerly Elementary), and Daniel (Bay High School). Bay High sophomore Jane Finley, who is battling Hodgkins Lymphoma herself, was mistress of ceremonies and chair of the event.

A crowd of supporters listened as Finley related the difficult journeys of chemotherapies and stem cell transplants endured by the children honored. The crowd then walked a long path lined with luminaria, raising electric torches with red shades, to the presentation site. Finley presented the $7,500 check to Chelsea Weeast of LLS. The presentation ended with the Bay High Marching Band playing music, and the Bay High Rockettes dancing, around the traditional homecoming bonfire.

"This is an emotional and unique event that has been student-driven at our school as a show of support for those students," said Jason Martin, Bay High principal. "They wanted to not only help monetarily to find these cancer cures, but to demonstrate to their peers with cancer that 'No One Fights Alone,' the theme and hashtag that now represents this effort."