The annual
Relay for
Life event
brings
smiles,
tears and
increased
funds.

Temple Shir Shalom flower shop

Caring Committee.
"Each year, I decorate the tent
Staff Writer
differently and sell items that fit
the theme,' Eileen said.
Angie Baan
This year's theme of flowers
Staff Photographer
was most fitting of the sunny,
clear weather that held up during
est Bloomfield High
School's outdoor track the 24-hour June 10-11 event. "We
sold brightly colored tissue flow-
was transformed
ers that I made, real flowers, pen
into the annual local site of the
flowers and necklace flowers that
American Cancer Society (ACS)
light in the dark',' Eileen said.
Relay for Life.
She and her husband donate all
This year 2,000 individuals —
the
profits from their sales to ACS,
1,000 participating on relay teams
this
year raising $3,200.
— raised a projected $275,000
Eileen
has been adorning tents
for cancer research and programs.
and
fund-raising
at the relay since
The event also serves as a memo-
her
mom,
Esther
Plotnick, died of
rial to those lost to cancer as well
cancer
five
years
ago.
"The event
as a celebration of survivorship,
seems
to
always
take
place
on her
with -90 cancer survivors honored
Eileen
said.
"Each
time
yahrtzeit,"
this year. Through the years, Relay
I
attend
the
relay,
I
feel
her
pres-
for Life also has gained increasing
ence." E]
support from the Jewish com-
munity.
Amid this year's many individ-
ually organized relay teams were
those sponsored by the Jewish
Academy ofMetropolitan Detroit,
Temple Kol Ami, Temple Israel,
Temple Shir Shalom and Team
Bittker B'nai Brith.
Conspicuous among some of
the teams' stark white tents was
one vibrantly decorated by Eileen
Terman of Bingham Farms.
A member of the Temple Shir
Shalom relay team, Terman and
her husband, Leonard, initiated
a yearly fund-raiser on behalf of
the West Bloomfield synagogue's

Shelli Liebman Dorfman

W

Karen and Lizzy vinger,

18, of Faribirigton Hills take

their tureon the track.

Linda and Joe Sterns of

Walled Lake share time

I the track.

Relay for Life banner