Sep. 25--COLONIE -- Don't report a UFO sighting if you spy a tricolored ethereal glow in the sky at dusk Friday around The Crossings of Colonie.
You'll be witnessing the efforts of more than 1,000 people carrying illuminated balloons to commemorate and celebrate lives touched by cancer at a Light the Night fundraising event.
More than 1,100 walkers raised about $260,000 last year for the Upstate New York/Vermont chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
The different colors of the balloons signify supporters (red), survivors (white) or memorialize a deceased loved one (gold). The helium-filled balloons are lighted by small light bulbs and watch batteries.
"It's a really awesome sight," said Allana Birkett-Layman, campaign manager of the event. Walkers will make two loops around the pond, playground and fields at the complex off Albany Shaker Road.
The group estimates that 279 out of 100,000 Capital Region residents will be diagnosed with some type of blood cancer this year, including leukemia, multiple myeloma, Hodgkin's lymphoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The Light the Night walk helps fund adult and youth support groups, education programs, financial aid for needy patients and educational materials for hundreds of local patients with blood cancer.
The fundraising event will also feature food, an auction, raffles, music, a magician, massage therapists and a bone marrow drive. Walk helps leukemia What: Light the Night fundraising walk for leukemia and lymphoma. When: Friday. Registration at 5:30 p.m.; walk starts at dusk. Where: The Crossings, off Albany Shaker Road, Colonie Information: http://www.lightthenight.org, then add unyvt to address bar. To see more of the Albany Times Union, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.timesunion.com. Copyright (c) 2008, Albany Times Union, N.Y. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Copyright (C) 2008 Albany Times Union, N.Y.