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7/12/2015 Small county, big heart Roanoke Times: News
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Small county, big heart
Posted: Tuesday, April 11, 2006 8:00 pm
By Donna AlvisBanks 3811661
Giles County doesn't have the most land in Virginia.
It ranks 53rd in the state with 358 square miles of mountains, streams and developed areas.
Certainly, the county doesn't have the greatestpopulation, accounting for just more than 16,000 of the 7million people who proudly call themselves Virginians.
But Giles County's Virginians, according to the AmericanCancer Society, do have the biggest hearts when itcomes to giving.
After last year's Relay for Life the American CancerSociety's major fundraising event Giles County wasnamed one of the top 10 teams in the country, finishingeighth in the United States for percapita fundraising.
"We raised $132,365," said Shannon Allen, who's cochairing this year's relay with her husband, Geof. "Thatwas $7.78 per Giles County resident."
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7/12/2015 Small county, big heart Roanoke Times: News
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"We have an amazing outpour of support from everyone in our community," Allen added. "We've been a top10community for two of the four years we've had this relay."
Allen's parents, Jerry and Toma Eaton, helped get the local relay going four years ago.
"My mother and father went to Relay for Life in Roanoke and came back saying, 'We can do this in Giles County,'" Allen recalled. "The American Cancer Society at first didn't think a county as small as Giles could pull it off."
Once again, Giles County had to prove itself.
Last year, the county was second in the cancer society's South Atlantic division for percapita contributions.
The division which includes Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, North Carolina, West Virginia andWashington, D.C. raised the most money of all 17 divisions in the nation.
"We were number one in the nation for most money raised, highest increase in money raised, most money raisedpercapita income and most money raised in the history of the division," boasted Susannah Whitener, theAmerican Cancer Society's New River Valley community manager.
Whitener attributes all that to one thing: volunteers.
"We could not do what we do without volunteers," she said.
"They do a great job. They set the standard really high for the region," she said. "Other teams look up to them."
Allen said Giles County supports 35 relay teams. The Angel's Rest Walkers, a team headed by Nancy Farmer, isthe shining star.
"Our Angel's Rest Walkers team usually raises between $25,000 and $35,000 each year," Allen noted. "Most ofour teams range from $5,000 to $10,000 [in collections]."
This year's Relay for Life is set for June 2324 at Giles High School. Allen said the giving goal is $145,000.
"We're very proud to be second in the South Atlantic division, but we'd like to be first."
To reach that goal, Giles County teams are already conducting many fundraisers. The Angel's Rest Walkers, forinstance, are selling beaded cancer awareness bracelets.
"Those have been very popular. I have two of them myself," Allen said. "They have sold them to nearly everystate and have sent them overseas."
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Other groups are having raffles, serving hot dog suppers and marketing everything from quilted casserole dishcovers to Virginia Tech football bears to "Fuzzy Flops," hand decorated flipflops.
"Our fundraisers have been phenomenal this year," Allen said. "Our next big one is May 20, the All Day for Relay.We're going to have food and music and all of the teams will be there."
Allen said the event will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pearisburg Community Center.
Giles County's success in raising money might be because of not in spite of its size.
Allen said the effort brings friends and families together, many participating because of cancer's direct impact ontheir lives.
"I have had nine family members with cancer. Only three are survivors," she said, explaining that she expects250 Giles County cancer survivors to participate in the upcoming relay.
Currently, Giles County has 900 relay registrants but Allen said she anticipates a crowd of at least 2,000.
She bases that on her knowledge of Giles County, the place she calls home.
"We do so much in such a little community," she said. "It just blows my mind."
Posted in News on Tuesday, April 11, 2006 8:00 pm.
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