United Technologies-Sponsored Relay For Life Event Raises Record Amount
Relay For Life of East Hartford Raises More Than $300,000
On a clear, starry evening at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., hundreds of people stood in the darkness at the East Hartford Relay For Life event, waiting expectantly for the final speaker at the Luminaria Ceremony to address them.
Minutes earlier, with the overhead lights extinguished, participants took one final lap around the track – walking, skipping and even doing handstands as they crossed the finish line, lit by bulbs forming the word “HOPE.” The track was encircled by 750 glowing luminaria bags adorned with a photo or name of a loved one lost or battling cancer.
Linda Meola-Townley looked over the audience of attendees, each touched in some way by cancer. Together, they had spent 11 hours walking to raise more than $300,000 for the American Cancer Society (ACS), surpassing the 2013 record-setting total by more than $30,000. Linda participated in the annual walk-a-thon as a member of its top fundraising team: Sikorsky - Dynamic Components, captained by her husband Bob Townley, Strategic Sourcing Manager at Sikorsky Aircraft.
“In some ways, cancer gave me a better life,” she said, describing the greater closeness she developed with her two sons and Bob, her fiancé when she was diagnosed for the second time. "While cancer wasn’t pretty, I’m stronger and happier today, just living my life.”
She told fellow walkers she had lost five family members to the disease, including her father. He had appeared in her dreams twice, telling her to get a checkup for cancer – and both times, she indeed had the disease. This year, she celebrated “the all-important fifth cancer-free year.”
For the sixth year running, UTC served as the event’s lead sponsor, with more than 70 teams and 730 participants. Once again, people turned out by the hundreds to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, recognize caregivers, heighten awareness of the fight against one of the leading causes of death, and raise money for research, treatment and prevention in New England.
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About United Technologies Corporation
United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Connecticut, provides high technology products and services to the building and aerospace industries. To learn more about UTC, visit its website at www.utc.com, or follow the company on Twitter @UTC. For more information on UTC’s commitment to the community, visit www.utc.com/makethingsbetter.
