Soggy and sore all for a good cause

My blisters are finally healing. I have regained feeling in my feet.

And the soreness in my legs has subsided.

It has been three days since the closing ceremonies of the Newport

Beach Relay for Life and I am still trying to catch up on sleep.

Despite my groggy demeanor and tender toes, there is one side effect

remaining from the charity relay I hope never goes away: escalated

enthusiasm for this community.

This year’s Relay for Life, designed to raise funds and awareness

in the fight against cancer, combined charity, entertainment, great

food, the unparalleled spirit of cancer survivors and the gusto of

this beachside community to create “the event” of the year.

Murphy’s Law would have it that the instant the opening lap was

completed, it started to rain.

Call me crazy, but I think the rain added to the fun because we

were soaked, we were muddy, we were tired and we didn’t care. We

laughed as we rung out our drenched T-shirts. We cackled when one of

us slipped on the well-worn track. And we howled when our umbrellas

were blown inside-out by the wild winds. (Lana!)

There are so many funny memories (I am laughing aloud while

typing, much to the befuddlement of my newsroom colleagues). I can’t

wait until next year.

I had a blast hanging out with my bosses, Publisher Tom Johnson,

Editorial Director Tony Dodero and Managing Editor Steve Cahn, who

brought their families out in the pouring rain to show support not

only for our paper, but the community in general.

Tom and his wife Vicky came back the next morning, with loyal dog,

Vera, in tow. Vicky’s daughter Victoria (Tori) also proved to be an

integral team member. (More to come.)

Most participants were on site between the hours of 6:30 and 11

p.m. Friday and again from 7 a.m. to about 2 p.m. Saturday. Those

times were great, as sheer numbers of people helped pump everybody’s

spirits, but allow me to give you a glimpse of what went on during

the most delirious hours of the event.

11 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.: Daily Pilot promotions director Lana

Johnson, Tori and I broke out our high-tech disposable cameras to

take snazzy shots of us on stage pretending to be rock stars and

posing fashionably in front of the giant high heel, purse and perfume

bottle that decorated the St. John’s campsite. (I can’t wait to get

those developed.)

Costa Mesa Community Service Officer Nicole Freeman’s boyfriend,

who was walking on behalf of St. John while she walked for our team,

was lovingly dubbed “purse boy” for his affiliation with the

oversized handbag. He took it in stride and made us all eat our words

as he lapped us repeatedly during those midnight hours.

2 a.m.: Lana went to bed, Tori went home and I was left alone with

our wonderful propane heater. The heater attracted many people to our

little tent and we all warmed our feet by the portable fire. I tried

to walk the entire night but had to stop periodically to thaw out and

give my feet a rest.

2:30 a.m.: Two large canopies were overturned by the wind and went

rolling like tumbleweeds toward the tents in the middle of the track.

Luckily, members of the City Slickers and St. John team caught them

and dismantled them. The giant purse made a very entertaining

comeback as those who trekked on through the wee hours used the

five-foot prop as a relay baton.

3 to 4 a.m.: The propane ran out and I returned to the track

full-time so I wouldn’t freeze to death. I found great company while

walking with two gentlemen from Orange, who carried a radio wrapped

in a plastic bag with the dial tone fixed on country station KZLA.

4 to 6:15 a.m.: My country fans went home and I stepped in stride

with Arches restaurant owner Danny Marciano. I gained some helpful

cooking and overall life tips from the forthright entrepreneur, who

sported a stars and stripes leather jacket and a tough New Jersey

accent. We walked as the sun came up and painted a beautiful picture

of contrasting pastels and dark grays that mixed to form a violet

lining around the storm clouds.

6:30 a.m.: Lana woke up, and so did life around the makeshift tent

city. The Newport Beach Fire Assn. set up its grill to cook some

flapjacks and Starbucks replenished its supply of caffeinated walking

fuel. (I went home to take a shower.)

7 a.m. to 9 a.m.: It rained. Hard. Knocking down more canopies.

9 a.m. to noon: I ate leftover pizza, fueled up on coffee

(spilling much of it all over my T-shirt while trying to walk and

drink at the same time) and made friends with Alaska Airlines flight

attendants, Chrissy and Natalie.

1 p.m.: The rain stopped, the sun came out and sheer adrenaline

took over for the final hours of the event.

1 to 6 p.m.: These five hours made the event. By this time, those

of us left were all on a first name basis and were cracking jokes and

telling stories.

The sun was out, people were giddy, spirits were high -- we knew

the end was near. Everyone had a blast. Tori returned and the

dazzling Daily Pilot trio was back in action. Great bands rocked the

stage and people were dancing around the track. Members of the City

Slickers and Council Critters teams started throwing the football and

free massages were still being offered over at the Priestly

Chiropractic Group tent.

Lana, Tori and I were on a roll and simply could not stop walking.

There is something about lack of sleep, festering blisters and the

feeling of doing something positive for your community that amped us

up. We picked up the pace and cheered on the bands.

The chiropractor, who I know only as Doc, challenged me to a race.

We sprinted a half-lap around the track -- nearly killing ourselves

-- and I am happy to report I was the victor. (Rematch, anytime Doc.)

We ran the final two laps and were joined by relay public

relations director Peggy Fort, who like Lana, has an absurd amount of

energy.

At 6:30 p.m., City Manager Homer Bludau declared the end of the

relay and was happy to report a preliminary count of $65,271 raised

by Newport Beach for the American Cancer Society. Nationwide, Relay

for Life surpassed its $1 billion fund-raising goal.

The City Slickers team, made up of Newport Beach city employees

and their friends and family, raised the most money, adding more than

$10,000 to the pot. And “Peg’s Friends” and “Luau for Life” teams

took home the awards for the best decorated campsites.

I am happy to report the Daily Pilot was given the 24-Hour Spirit

Award. That award goes to all of our readers who came out in support

of a good cause. Thank you so much.

We’ll see you all next year.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and

covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275 or

by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.