Participants of the 2022 Relay for Life Motorcade on St. Croix. By. V.I. CONSORTIUM
In celebration of hope, 27 vehicles lined up on Sunday for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life 2022 Motorcade, which departed at the Altoona Lagoon at 2:00 p.m.
This fundraiser brought awareness of the deadly plague and illness that has affected the territory, cancer. It is one of the events that leads up to the highly anticipated annual Relay for Life, which will be held October 15th and 16th with 44 teams registered.
Teams had to register in advance and pay a donation fee of $50 per vehicle to participate. Throughout the route, participants were required to remain in their vehicles at all times, and to enforce that rule the V.I. Police Department was present. The motorcade, which began at the Altoona Lagoon made its way through different areas of St. Croix to include Basin Triangle, Sunny Isles, Glenn/ Mon Bijou, Grove, Hannah’s Rest, King’s Street, and the final destination, the St. Croix Educational Complex. A short program was held following the motorcade.
Yvonne Pryce, chairperson of Relay for Life 2022-2023, welcomed and thanked all the individuals who participated for the cause. “This year, our goal is to make $150,00," she remarked. "That is a lot of money, but guess what? The money that we make from whatever you all have given us, and from whatever anybody else who will be giving us, stays in the Virgin Islands to help cancer patients." So far, this organization has raised $113,000.
V.I. Dept. of Health Commissioner Justa Encarnacion, the event's guest speaker, lauded the American Cancer Society for their efforts and provided ways in which to prevent cancer. She also highlighted the importance of those individuals that support cancer victims, which is rarely spoken about. “Sometimes you feel as if you are going through it with them. You have people here who are sharing their love for the ones who have had it,” said Ms. Encarnacion as she became teary-eyed.
If interested, a donation can be made to the Relay for Life of St. Croix here.
