Residents from Boulevard Park Place Retirement Community have been participating in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser for the past six years. Their team name: Seniors 4 A Cure.

Boulevard Park Place Retirement Community, located on the east slopes of Burien, is a long-time supporter and sponsor of the American Cancer Society’s largest fundraiser for cancer research. This year the Boulevard Park team has joined the Highline Relay for Life relay, which takes place June 8 and June 9 at the Highline High School Stadium in Burien, one of many communities throughout the nation participating in this annual event.

Boulevard Park Place (BPP) residents have several ways to support the cause, including the BPP Walking Club, which has 34 team members. BPP pledged $1 for each and every mile that the team members walked throughout the year to be donated in their name to Relay For Life.

“We set our goal at 3,000 miles from January through June 8th,” says BPP owner Ron Steinman. “At their current pace, they may exceed their goal! The average age of this group is 79-years-old. One of the team members has exceeded 350 miles.”

The idea of the walking group is to allow more BPP residents to participate in the Relay fundraiser but do it at their pace. “We have set up several different walking courses around our eleven-acre campus,” says Ron. “Our team members are free to choose which pre-measured course to walk. Some started with just 100 yards each day. One of our walkers goes as many as five miles a day. Not bad for someone who is over 90!” adds Ron.

“Three weeks after we started, one of our members came up to me and thanked me for starting the club,” he recalls. “She went on to explain that she used to walk, but had fallen into a depressed state and quit. After resuming walking, she reports that she feels better, is eating better, sleeps better and has regained her positive attitude. She is grateful for the BPP Walking Club and credits it for saving her life. That walker is currently averaging over four miles per day.”

Boulevard Park Place also hosts other fundraising events, including a pancake breakfast on the third Friday of every month from 8:00-9:30am and a Baked Potato Feast six times a year (with all the trimmings for $5). All proceeds are donated to Relay For Life. The BPP team created a cook book with over 500 recipes from over 70 contributors. The book sells for $10 with proceeds donated to charity.

And one of the signatures of the Relay for Life is the luminary bags that line the track. Bags are individually donated in honor of (or in memory of) someone with cancer. The bags are placed around the perimeter of the track and are illuminated by candles. They stay lit all night guiding the walkers, who will continue walking the track at night.

This year Boulevard Park Place set their goal at raising $10,000 for Relay For Life, and they believe they will exceed that total. Over the past six years the Seniors 4 A Cure team has raised $25,000.

Ron says of BBP’s participation in Relay for Life: “Cancer has affected almost every family, but more people than ever before are surviving cancer and celebrating more birthdays. Relay is a way for us to celebrate our cancer survivors, honor those in the middle of their fight, and remember those who have been lost to this disease.

“We invite you to take part in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Burien on June 8th,” says Ron. “This is your chance to inspire others and honor the memory of friends and loved ones. Join us for this celebration of life and sign up for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life. You won’t want to miss one moment of this life- and community-affirming event.”

Relay For Life teams consist of up to fifteen participants that take turns walking around a track. Entertainment, games, prizes and team-building experiences are all part of the fun. For more information, please contact Ron Steinman at 206-779-8942 or visit RelayForLife.org.77-823-