Goddard School goes purple for the relay

Sparta - Driving up to The Goddard School Friday, June 1, it was clear that the color purple was the theme for the day. Allyson Van Dyke created “Purple Day,” a fundraiser for their Relay for Life team. “As we decorated for purple day, more and more people started to ask us about Relay for Life, what it was, how we were participating and how they could contribute,” said Van Dyke. “We also talked about the festivities within the classrooms and got them (the students) very excited about purple day. As the kids’ excitement grew it kind of caught on with the parents.” Purple is the symbol for Relay, she noted. The children ate purple food, wore purple clothes and created pictures and other crafts with purple paint. Relay for Life, a subsidiary of the American Cancer Society, holds overnight events throughout the area designed to bring together those who have been touched by cancer in the community. During these events, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, and other facilities taking turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times. Goddard, with 180 pupils ages 6 months to 6 years, raised $410 to support the team. The “Goddard Girls” team will participate in the event Saturday, June 9, and Sunday, June 10, at Mount Olive High School. Besides Van Dyke, team members are: Patty Ciccotelli, BethAnne Purcell, Kara Den Uyl, Krista Cutler, Rebecca Hilcken, Brandy Giannone, and Alexis Vozza. To make a donation to the team, contact Allyson Van Dyke or Kara Den Uyl at 973-726-4110 or drop in to 107 Main Street, Sparta. For more information on Relay for Life, go to www.relayforlife.org.