Relay for Life: Sauk Prairie Edition (Soap Box Time)

There was a hollow feeling upon approaching our local Relay for Life even that I've been away from for around 10 years. The complete lack of participation was deeply saddening. An event that used to look like a Summer concert festival worth of tents was now void of any camping equipment besides a few of the portable gazebo-like ones. A once mighty event that packed the high school track and football field area and raged from Friday evening into Saturday was reduced to 14 teams,around 100 people, and was winding down at 10:30pm. I don't know if the hurt was me personally, or the thought of how much the event used to mean to my Mom and the effort put into making it special. The speaker this year entertained not even a section of our high school bleachers, which couldn't have felt goot. That used to be standing room only and deeply uplifting. I don't know where the answers lie in trying to find out what happened to this once huge event for my small town, but I do know that fixing it is something I will work towards. There was a complete lack of energy and once uplifting spirit that carried the event through the 18 hours (or so) of time spent. Teams used to have to take shifts because not only were they so large, but the track was often packed as well. Luminaries used to have trouble fitting around the track, but this year there was plenty of space, and they were set out early and completely ruined by the rain (best $20 I've ever spent). I didn't feel like I honored the memory of loved ones, or accomplished anything to "Finish the Fight", this years theme. It's a very hollow feeling that can only be vindicated by succeeding in doing it right next year, and the years after.