Roanoke Cement has one of the many Relay for Life teams that have formed all over Botetourt County for the May overnight walk to end cancer. The event is held at the Buchanan Carnival grounds. Sponsored by the American Cancer Society, survivors are honored and those who died from the disease are memorialized.

The Roanoke Cement team is on its third year said Laura Gordon and Debbie Martin who are co-chairs of the team. Seven others participate in the walk, but the whole of the day shift has been helping raise funds for the 2013 team by eating lunch. “Last year,” said Billy Ray Teaford one of the team,  “We were the top Relay for Life Botetourt fundraiser.” All of the team mates have had a family member or love one touched by cancer. The other team members are Jannine DeMester, Suzanne Ward, Alice Flora, Geneva Jennings, Rochelle Delka, and Jennifer Hudson

Lunch on Tuesday January 29 included a variety of hearty soups like potato, veggie beef, spicy chicken, sausage potato, homemade pimento cheese or  chicken salad sandwiches, chips and a drink for  five dollars. Desserts all donated are an additional amount. “The men don’t have a way to go anywhere to get them lunch (half hour for lunch in a rural area,) so they really enjoy this when we do it and even asked when we plan to do the lunches,” said Gordon. They have had a cook out previously as well as chili and plan to have  a barbeque lunch soon. The meals will continue through April. a 50-50  one dollar per ticket is also held.

Food is s donated mostly by team members friends and family, but also several have stepped up to help. On average they serve 120-170 meals  to both employees and sub contractors onsite. Hardees, DJ’s Pit Stop BBQ,  and The Homeplace include a few area businesses that have aided the cause.

As hungry workers lined up for lunch, dollar bills flowed across the table for lunch, 50-50 and one more special donated by Roanoke Cement.

A good corporate citizen for years and as part of Titan America, the company stepped up the game for the Relay for Life team fundraising.  The management offered four paid days off through a fundraising ticket sale raffle to employees and a day is worth an estimated $200.

With a few months left until May,  funds are filing the coffers to stop cancer in its tracks. Warm food on cold days offers the opportunity for all at Roanoke Cement to help the Relay for Life cause.