82-year-old woman steps back from Relay for Life, younger generation takes over
About 10 years ago, Priscillaiana “Prissy” Schanefeltsat with her phone in her hand as a doctor told her that she had thyroid cancer. After getting her thyroid removed, she knew she had to do something to help others going through similar scary situations. That’s when she decided to start her own Relay for Life team, which she named Camino de Esperance, or “Path of Hope.”
Now, Schanefelt is cancer-free, only having to go to annual check-ups. But she still supports the Relay for Life cause, making calls asking people for donations and their support.
“I’ve been really fortunate that nobody says no to me.”
COMMUNITY HELP
One way Schanefelt raises money for Relay for Life is by selling raffle tickets. These raffle tickets are given out to Relay for Life Gallup McKinley County organizers and other non-profits in the New Mexico and Arizona area.
They come from a man named Jim Click Jr., who owns a car dealership in Tucson, Arizona. Click gives these raffle tickets out to non-profit organizations as a way to help them raise funds. The prizes for the raffle are no joke; first place gets a brand new car, - this year it’s a 2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4X - second place will win two airline tickets to anywhere in the world, and the third place prize is $5,000.
This year, the tickets cost $25 each, or people can buy five for $100. All proceeds would go toward whichever Relay the buyer would like.
Joyce Graves, the coordinator for Gallup’s branch of Relay for Life, said that the deadline to enter the raffle isn’t until mid-December, but that she likes to sell a majority of them before and during the Relay. She said that Schanefelt has always been willing to sell the remaining tickets after Relay.
“None of us [from Gallup] have won yet, but we keep trying,” Graves said of the raffle.
PASSING THE
TORCH
Schanefelt had to take a step back as a team leader now that she’s older - she’s 82 years old - and the next generation of leaders was more than willing to help her out.
Jeanette Butler and Wanda Drier have both known Schanefelt for years, and they were both already a part of Camino de Esperance before they became co-team leaders. Butler spoke highly of the former team leader.
“She’s always been one of those go-getter types of people. She’s always been very compassionate toward other people,” she said. “She’s a fundraiser extraordinaire; you can’t fill those shoes.”
Butler said she joined Relay for Life in honor of all of the people in her live who had or has cancer.
Drier joined the team after losing her mother to cancer. When her mom died, she moved from Waterloo, Iowa, to New Mexico in 1977. She often found herself watching the Relay for Life events, but she didn’t join a team until she found Schanefelt’s.
“I’m doing it in memory of my mom and in honor of Prissy,” she said.
MAKING MEMORIES
Since they’ve been participating in Relay for Life for so long, Schanefelt, Butler, and Drier all have fond memories of Relays of the past.
Schanefelt said she always loved the camaraderie when she would go out to the event.
“I would meet so many people who were so generous and willing to help. That was my favorite part, knowing I could count on them,” she said.
Drier also mentioned the camaraderie when talking about her favorite part of Relay for Life, but she also specifically likes the Survivor’s Lap, which kicks off the festivities the night of Relay. Whether they’re currently fighting cancer, or in remissions, survivors take that first lap as an emcee reads their names.
“When they’re standing or being rolled around or however they get around that first lap of the night, that is what really strikes me, and it’s my favorite part,” Drier said.
Butler said her favorite part is when people light the luminarias at the end of the night. The lighting of the luminaries is a way for people to honor those who have lost their battle with cancer.
“It gives me time to go back and reflect on the loved ones that I have lost locally as well as my relatives. It’s also time to thank God for getting me through my cancer battle,” Butler said.
She has battled on and off with a rare form of vaginal cancer.
Overall, both women are just excited to be a part of the Relay for Life and helping continue cancer research.
“It fills my heart a little bit more to know that I hopefully will someday see cancer eradicated through the research and efforts that we’ve done,” Butler said.
RUN FOR MORE
INFORMATION
Anyone interested in donating to the Camino de Esperance Camino de Esperance or any other local Relay for Life team can go to the Gallup McKinley County fundraising page at https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=107767.
The webpage also has details about the upcoming local Relay for Life, which is scheduled for June 14.
Teams will be able to arrive at the Courthouse Square as early as 12 pm that day, but they need to be set up and ready to go by 5:30 pm. The Opening Ceremonies will begin at 6 pm.
By Molly Ann Howell
Managing Editor
