By Laura Mazur
Community Post
The fight against cancer comes in a variety of forms.

Sometimes it comes in making that surviving trek. Other times, it comes in the form of holding hands.
During this year's Hopefest, rain did fall, but hope and money raising efforts did not. The 10th annual event, which is a fundraiser for the Cancer Association of Mercer County, was celebrated on Friday to a packed stadium at Wally Post Athletic Complex, in St. Henry.
Events kicked off with survivors receiving a hug and a carnation from committee members, as well as taking the inaugural lap around the track for the evening.
“Any help with cancer is a good thing. The support for survivors makes you feel so good,” said Carol Borger, of Coldwater, who walked the track as a breast cancer survivor. “You don't realize how lucky you are until you have it.”
Borger will celebrate seven years of being cancer-free in August. She walked with her friend, Sally Fickert, of Chattanooga, another breast cancer survivor. She will celebrate her third year of no cancer in December.
“It's a good cause,” said Fickert. “Anything for other people is really worth it.”
Borger and Fickert were two of about 75 survivors honored during opening ceremonies.
Besides concessions and games, money was given to put names on Blocks of Hope for survivors, memorials and those currently fighting the disease. Names were later read from these blocks during ceremonies. Last year, about 1500 blocks were sold by the close of Hopefest. This year, more than 1,700 were sold even before the evening's festivities got underway.
Shelly Steinbrunner, of St. Henry, served on this year's Hopefest board. She is also a survivor of Hodgkin's Disease.
“Everyone has a reason they're doing this. Everyone has at least one person they know who has cancer,” she explained.
A goal is never set for the event, which has seen more than a couple years of poor weather conditions, but money raised each year has kept at a steady increase, according to Sue Freisthler, director of the Cancer Association of Mercer County.
“Everyone believes in what we do. They believe in our cause,” said Freisthler.
Some believed in the cause for others and some believed in the cause for their own.
Connie Altenbach, of Mendon, started helping out with Hopefest because she walked for Wal-Mart, a corporate sponsor of the event. This year, she, as well as family members and friends, walked for the memory of her husband, Mike, by wearing purple, to symbolize the pancreatic cancer, to which she lost him.
“I've walked for about 10 years, but this is the first year I've walked for him. He passed away in February,” said Altenbach.
With more than 60 teams taking laps around the track in the rain, participants paid homage to loved ones.
The Happy Hearts 4-H Club was one of these teams, which brought in about 20 members on its own. They walked for survivor Greg Kess, of St. Henry, a cousin of Mackenzie Timmerman, of Coldwater.
She said, “Wee just want to support all the people who have had cancer.”