Magic, Music, More for Relay for Life of Sullivan County

Five years ago, life as Ricky Kiser knew it changed forever.
Cancer.
“I had kidney cancer,” Kiser said.
On May 29-30, the 39 year old will participate in The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Sullivan County event at Bristol Motor Speedway.
He, along with anyone else who wishes to attend, will have the chance to walk the famed fastest half-mile racetrack in the world for 24 hours.
Why?
“For survivors and their families, it’s a healing effect,” Kiser said, who serves as survivorship development chair for the event. “For those who have lost a loved one, it’s also a healing effect. It’s very powerful.”
In addition to building awareness and camaraderie, organizers hope to raise at least $240,000. That figure derives from, Kiser said, various corporate sponsorships and prior bake sales in addition to sales of refreshments and team donations during the event.
“We’re up $40,000,” Kiser said, “so we need $200,000 more.”
There’s no charge for admission. Walk the track, see live entertainment from the music of Mark Larkins to the magic of Joseph Young, or simply offer a kind word to those who have encountered cancer.
Let’s look at Young, who will perform on May 30. He will stage an award-winning show that mixes comedy with magic.
“There are hundreds of thousands of magicians, but my act is unique,” Young said. “I’m the only performer in the world who has the Rubik’s Cube manipulation. I created it.”
Rubik’s Cube?
“Yes,” Young said. “It’s an eight-minute act, and the Rubik’s Cube will appear and disappear, change size, shape and color along with a few other surprises, too.”
However, those surprises do not come in the form of outlandishly bizarre tricks such as those famously staged by an illusionist of David Copperfield’s over-the-top ilk. Young isn’t that style of magician.
“I’m a slight of hand magician,” he said. “It’s simply my two hands and your two eyes.”
Yet, even the most adept magician can’t make cancer disappear. Neither will the walking around of Bristol Motor Speedway, but the walk does amount to more than mere exercise.
Check the schedule. The event gets underway with a survivor lap during which cancer survivors including Kiser will walk a lap. A caregiver lap and team lap follows, after which time the 24-hour Relay For Life commences for everyone else.
“The walking around the track for the entire night symbolizes the struggles that a cancer patient goes through,” Kiser said. “We will have some survivors who can’t walk the track, so we’ll have golf carts available for them.”
Furthermore, the event will celebrate survivors, highlighting the fact that increasingly more people are defeating cancer.
“It’s very important when we celebrate the lives of these survivors,” Kiser said, “because it says that we are beating this disease. This is like the fifth or sixth year in a row that we’ve seen an increase in cancer survivors in this country.”
Kiser is one of those survivors.
“I’m a five-year survivor,” he said. “I had it in 2004. When it was over with, that’s when I realized how scary it was.”
Young the magician was also touched by cancer.
“My grandpa had a bout with cancer,” Young said, “and he lost his life when I was in the eighth grade.”
So Young said that he has become a frequent walker at various Relay For Life events.
“Once you go to a relay, you will want to come back,” Kiser said. “It’s a life-changing event.”

IF YOU GO
What: The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Sullivan County
When: May 29-30; walk starts at 7 p.m. May 29 and concludes at 7 p.m. May 30
Where: Bristol Motor Speedway, Volunteer Parkway, Bristol, Tenn.
Admission: Free
Info: (423) 306-4631 or (423) 276-6723
Web: http://www.sullivancountyrelay.com
Web and video: http://www.josephyoungmagic.com 

SCHEDULE – May 29
5:30 p.m.: Hart Creek (bluegrass)
6:45 p.m.: Opening ceremony
8 p.m.: Musical Chairs
8:30 p.m.: Dude Looks Like A Lady
11 p.m.: Silly hat contest
11:30 p.m.: Sock hop

MAY 30
7:30 a.m.: Community breakfast
8 a.m.: No Name But His (gospel music)
9 a.m.: Children’s survivor ceremony
9:30 a.m.: Kid’s talent show
10:30 a.m.: Joseph Young (magic and comedy show)
11 a.m.: Relay wide silent auction
11:45 a.m.: Southern Fire Cloggers
Noon: Relay Olympics
1 p.m.: C-T-R Bluegrass
2 p.m.: Fear Factor
2:30 p.m.: Mark Larkins (beach music)
3 p.m.: Spelling bee
3:30 p.m.: Sigean (traditional Irish and Celtic music)
4 p.m.: Alligator wrestling
4:30 p.m.: Misfit Gypsies (belly dancing)
4:30 p.m.: Hula hoop contest
5 p.m.: Fight back ceremony
5:30 p.m.: Ladies of the 80s
6:30 p.m.: Closing ceremony
7 p.m.: Last lap of 2009

TOM NETHERLAND is a freelance writer. He can be reached at .