Phyllis Young, senior administrative assistant, gives barbecue customers service with a smile. Clyde Sesler cooks up some mouth-watering chicken and ribs. Frances Sesler, senior administrative assistant, serves Lou Kavouras, executive coordinator, during a recent barbecue fundraiser.
Displaying the afghan being auctioned to raise funds for the Relay for Life are (from left): Phyllis Young, senior administrative assistant; Frances Sesler, senior administrative assistant; Dianna Brass, administrative supervisor; and Joan Riccardelli, senior administrative assistant.
District staff and members of the District’s employee committee are gearing up for Hernando County’s Relay for Life with a series of fundraisers.
The relay is sponsored by the American Cancer Society to raise money for cancer research. The relay takes place at Tom Varn Park in Brooksville, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 28, and ending at noon on Saturday, April 29.
This year, Frances Sesler, a District senior administrative assistant, and Darlene Johnson, a senior administrative assistant and the employee committee chair, are working together to coordinate the District’s participation.
“Last year was my first year participating in the relay,” said Sesler. “When I heard the employee committee was looking for someone to chair this year’s efforts, I emailed the committee and told them I wanted to do it because my mother was a breast cancer survivor.”
At least one member of the District’s team of walkers must be on the track throughout the relay, so it is nice to have a big group to share the walking duties.
Teams participating in the relay often raise money in advance by holding a variety of fundraisers, including potlucks, raffles, car washes and more.
The District team has set $5,000 as its minimum goal. Team members are collecting pledges and are working together on other fundraising activities, including a series of four barbecue cookouts, selling blinking light accessories, and raffling an afghan made by a cancer survivor.
Leah Murduck crocheted the afghan. Sesler is selling raffle tickets for $1 each, or six for $5. The drawing will be held at the relay.
Sesler and her husband, Clyde, are also the driving force behind the cookouts. Clyde is a seasoned barbecuer who loves to cook.
“He began cooking for family and friends, then started cooking for church fundraisers,” said Sesler. “He loves to do it, so it was easy to get him and our sons to help.”
Three cookouts were held from January to March. A final cookout will be held Saturday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the True Holiness Church, located at 15500 Wiscon Road, Brooksville.
Clyde will be serving up sandwiches and dinners of barbecue chicken or ribs.
Please contact Frances Sesler at 1-800-423-1476, ext. 4608, if you would like to join the walking team or if you would like to know more about the team’s fundraising efforts. Those who cannot commit to being on the team are welcome to come out and cheer the team on anytime during the event.
In addition to Sesler, the District’s team of walkers includes Tammy Antoine, water conservation analyst; Kristina Aponte, student trainee; Dianna Brass, administrative supervisor; Karen Frazier, accounts payable supervisor; Della Haberle, administrative supervisor; Susie Holton, senior administrative assistant; Joyce Morra, senior administrative assistant; Teresa Rhodes, regulatory processing specialist; Joan Riccardelli, senior administrative assistant; and Phyllis Young, senior administrative assistant. District family and friends who are also participating include Sonia Lynch-Dillard; Myra Nolen, a former District employee and breast cancer survivor; Hazel Trueblood and Kathleen Sesler.
