Night of Hope benefits area cancer patients

Night of Hope Foundation’s Walk For Cancer is Aug. 11 in Legion Park.

The nonprofit organization, founded in 2002, benefits Sidney’s Dorwart Cancer Care Center.

“Instead of doing Relay for Life and the funds going to a national level, they founded Night of Hope as a way of helping our local cancer patients with financial assistance,” Brenda Noel, Foundation president, said.

The assistance provided by Night of Hope helps to relieve the stresses endured by cancer patients and their families, Noel said.

“That can be for gas in their car, to go to their next treatment, groceries, paying bills. We help them out wherever we can,” she said.

The funds benefit cancer patients receiving treatment anywhere in the world, Noel said, as long as they live in Sidney and the surrounding area.

“They don’t have to to go the Dorwart care center,” she said. “That’s a big misconception.”

More than 250 people participate in the yearly event.

“Not all of them walk,” Noel said. “We’re not a walk, per se. You go to walk so many laps or so much time. We encourage people to come out, spend the evening with us, with family and friends.”

The night begins at 5:45 p.m. with the national anthem and presentation of the flag by Sidney’s Boy Scout Troop Boy Scout Troop Pack 90.

At 6 p.m., the survivor walk begins, honoring the area’s cancer survivors.

“They wear the same shirts we do, but on the right sleeve it will have a ribbon on it that says survivor,” Noel said. “They walk the first lap and they meet on the bridge and set off the balloons.”

Following the survivor walk, Sidney High School’s band and cheer teams will perform.

“The rest of the evening is going to be filled with barbecue. We have a silent auction. We have music,” Noel said. “We’ll have the lighting of the luminaries and presentation of the slide show.”

There are two raffles this year, Noel said. One features an autographed Nebraka Cornhuskers jersey signed by Ameer Abdullah. Another raffle features a Christmas quilt donated by Julie Peterson of Oglalla, a cancer survivor.

New this year, there will be a drawing every half hour started at 7 p.m.

To contribute, donations can be made and luminaries purchased for $5 from Dorwart Cancer Care Center by calling 254-9192.

For more information about the event, visit Night of Hope Walk for Cancer’s Facebook page.