Dad's luminary on the goal line/in the end zone at Comstock Park High School during RFL.
So this last week was the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. While I've donated in the past, their mission struck a chord in me for obvious reasons.
It started with hat day at Greenridge Elementary, and I paid $1 for Will to wear his Tigers hat; dad called him Little Sparky every time he wore it. They also had pink day, purple day, and then there was the Relay for Life.
I went to CPHS after the Tigers game (near no-hitter by Verlander). There were fundraising booths set up along the football field, luminaries ringing the track, a tent village for the high schoolers to spend the night, CURE spelled out with tea lights in the bleachers, a DJ, and tons of people walking or running the track.
It was an emotional thing to take part in; while the message was one of hope and a cure, the luminaries were for those who lost their fight. I did a few laps on the track, and the urge to do one for dad was great and I went to purchase one. One of the teachers at Will's school kindly gave me one and some markers, so I created a simple tribute, above.
Walking the track and trying to figure out the best place for it, I took a picture of the bag with the goal posts in the background. Smiling, I figured it out - the only logical location for a memorial for my dad at a high school is going to be in the end zone of the football field.
I placed the luminary on the goal line, took a few pictures and smiling, circled the track for an hour, or the "official" length of a football game. The teen boys who were playing ball respectfully played around the bag, occasionally stopping to read the message.
All good things do come to an end. Because of the turf and the kids playing games and dancing, the principal had the bag removed from the end zone and we placed it perfectly on the track to line up with the goal posts.
At midnight, a trio took to the stage, and performed the sweet, mellow guy-and-a-gal-with-a-guitar rock ballads. In other words, lots of Plain White T's, John Mayer, etc. It reminded me of how sweet it is to be a teenager, and how adorable they all were.
I bid on a few silent auction items and went home at 1am, driving home under the stars with the top down on the car.
No comments:
Post a Comment