There’s no place I’d rather be than ‘Walking with Judy’

LOLITA HARPER

I miss chatting with her out on the patio. I miss her advice and

words of encouragement. But we’ll get a chance to catch up tonight.

I, and everyone who is a part of the Daily Pilot Relay for Life

team, will get a chance to reconnect with an important friend as a

part of the “Walking with Judy” brigade. About 35 of us from and

affiliated with the Daily Pilot will strap on our tennis shoes and

high-tail it around a makeshift track at Newport Harbor High School

for 24 consecutive hours in a show of support, and memory, for those

who have battled cancer. We are dedicating our walk to our great

friend and longtime Daily Pilot employee Judy Oetting, who passed

away on Feb. 26 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in the

fall.

Pat Smith, the chairwoman on the Relay’s Honorary Survivors

Committee, said about 50 other teams are scheduled for the Newport

Beach event. If each team has as many members as we do, that means

roughly 1,750 people will be on that field from 6 p.m. Friday to 6

p.m. Saturday raising money -- and spirits -- for a good cause.

I don’t want to brag or anything but the Daily Pilot team won the

Team Spirit award last year. That’s right. We were the most chipper,

most energetic, lively and animated team out there. I dare anyone to

try to out-spunk us.

Careful now, before you step up, you should know what you are up

against. We’ve got Lana “can’t-slow-me-down” Johnson on our team. If

you haven’t met our promotions director, you’ll recognize her at the

relay as the fastest walking, fastest talking person out there. She

was out on that track last year in the wee hours of the morning, in

the middle of a torrential downpour, truckin’ it as if it were sunny

and dry.

Oh, and Lana is pumped this year. I saw her in the hall on

Thursday and she told me, in her feverish tone: “I am so excited. I

can’t wait. I swear, I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.”

(Oh yeah, she’s ready.)

And after babying my pulled quadriceps for a week, I should be

ready to break my personal record of walking 18 total hours. Last

year, in the 20th hour of the event, a chiropractor bet me $5 that he

could beat me in a sprint around the track. We just added his money

to our team total. Friendly wagers will be accepted this year, as

well.

Speaking of money, there is an inherent competition for which team

can raise the most. No, we did not win this last year (hello, we’re

journalists) but are looking to our friends in the community to help

us out this time around. Donations for the relay will be accepted

until 3 p.m. Saturday and are always accepted on the American Cancer

Society website.

The goal this year is to raise $100,000 from the Newport Beach

event and Smith said the total number thus far is close to $60,000.

We’ve got a ways to go, as a community, but I have faith in you all.

So, please, won’t you join us in our walk with Judy. We will be

out there at 6 p.m. Friday for the kick-off celebration, just look

for the Daily Pilot tent. Also, the luminaria ceremony, in which

people light candles in memory of loved ones, begins this year at

9:30 p.m.

Smith even said there will be Laker Girls there to sign

autographs. (Aha, I see that got your attention.) Just show up, fill

out a waiver form and get on the track. I promise you will have a

blast, make new friends and be uplifted.