Rockin’ new Roundup raises $80,000 for Relay

Old idea with a new spin, some good BBQ and a rockin’ country band made for a great party last month when more than 500 reached into their closets and dusted off their cowboy boots for the Roundup for Relay, a catered BBQ on July 11 at the Easley Ranch on Marsh Creek Rd.

Ticket sales, a silent auction and several very generous donors raised over $80,000 for cancer research.

Each year, cancer survivors, caregivers and those committed to finding a cure, walk in the worldwide American Cancer Society Relay for Life weekends.

Clayton’s first Relay for Life was in 2011 and has become one of the most successful in the state.

The seeds for this year’s Roundup for Relay fundraiser were planted in 2013 when friends and supporters of Christy Harris formed Team Christy, a Clayton  mother of three who was in advanced stages of bone cancer. That year, more than 100 walked with Christy and her husband Joel in the Clayton Relay, raising more than $33,000. Walking on that team was another mother and popular Clayton woman, Anu Ray who was to lose her own battle with cancer the following year.

Her friends, family and supporters, buoyed by the successful efforts of Team Christie, formed a new team for their friend.

Team Anu included Clayton’s Debra Gonsalves of the Conco Cement family, who was deeply grieving both her good friend Anu Ray and her father who died the same month.

“It’s so hard for family and friends to see a loved one suffer and lose the battle they were fighting,” Gonsalves said. “Since then, I made a promise to try and help find a cure for all cancers.”

Gonsalves was at a place in her life when she had some extra time on her hands. She started writing letters, sending emails and making phone calls.

That year, Team Anu raised more than $15,000.

“From there, it snowballed,” said Pat Middendorf, one of the driving forces in the fundraising effort and also a close friend of Anu Ray.

In 2015, more supporters joined Team Anu and the Relay team raised more than $40,000. The ACS recognized the Clayton Relay as one of the major fundraisers in the state that year.

They were on a roll. They wanted to go bigger. Recalling the old CBCA Roundup that was held at the Easley Ranch several years ago, they began plans to resurrect the event. They approached Robert Easley with the idea and he was on board. Local movers and shakers jumped in, friends and other supporters joined the effort. Other Relay teams merged with Team Anu and no one said it was a bad idea, too big or too weird.

“We love it when our volunteers think outside the box,” said Grace Chang, community coordinator for the ACS Relay for Life program.

“It’s pretty typical for Relays to have extra fundraising events,” she said “But not on the scale of these guys. This was extraordinary.”

“I couldn’t believe the incredible response from everyone,” said Gonsalves, who called in a few favors, netting sizeable donations from the Seeno family and Ken Hoffman. The Gonsalves also donated all the catering and food.

The men from DVR, the rehab ranch on Marsh Creek Rd., provided much of the brawn for the heavy lifting, racking, spreading straw and setting up more than 50 tables.

“It’s impossible to mention everyone that contributed to the event,” says Middendorf. “There were too many and we all worked too hard.”

And they aren’t finished, says Middendorf . More donations will be counted from Relay for Life pledges and she expects the total from the Clayton event to be well over $100,000.

“For once,” says Gonsalves, “everyone in Clayton is on the same page.

The 2016 Relay for Life will be Aug. 13 and 14 at Mt. Diablo Elementary School. To join a team or enter as an individual, go to www.Relayforlife.org/claytonca.