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Citizen of the week, Henry committed to Relay for Life
Lifelong Berryville resident Kitty Henry is in her 11th year of volunteering for Relay for Life, and she has no plans to stop any time soon.
Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature yearly activity, and offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer.
Each year, teams of people camp out at Johnson-Williams Middle School and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event and last up to 24 hours.
The goal is to raise much-needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment. This year's Clarke event will be held May 17, beginning at 1 p.m.
Henry has been a member of the Stepping Stones team for three years. While some teams wait until it is close to the event before raising funds, Henry spends most of the year busily raising money.
She takes a few months off in the summer right after the Relay event, but soon gets back into her main fund-raising project: baking fruit tarts and making vegetable soup.
She is known to some as the "Tart Lady.” Word-of-mouth has been enough to keep her busy – she has a number of regular customers. She also sells tarts and soup at the Bank of Clarke County in Winchester, where she has worked for 38 years.
"In two weeks, I sold 31 quarts of soup and 102 tarts, just at that one place," Henry said.
She also performs other duties for Relay for Life, such as her current project of preparing about 100 letters, asking people to donate a luminary, or make a donation, in honor of a friend or family member.
Relay for Life is a cause close to Henry's heart – she is a breast cancer survivor, as is her daughter, Robyn Pickett. Henry's late husband, Charlie, had colon cancer, and her late mother also had breast cancer.
She is currently working on a list of cancer survivors in the area. A survivors' luncheon will be held May 10 at 12:30 p.m. at Crums United Methodist Church, 2832 Crums Church Rd. in Berryville.
"Those of us who are survivors need to celebrate," Henry said.
But, she added, part of Relay for Life is remembering those whose lives were lost to cancer.
"I graduated from Clarke County High School in 1956, and I know of at least six classmates lost to cancer," she said.
Henry recently embroidered a lap quilt in the design of the breast cancer awareness pink ribbon. A friend is putting on the border, and the quilt will be auctioned at the team's annual barbecue.
The barbecue will be held April 12 at the Clarke County Ruritan Fairgrounds, with dinner from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The auction will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Admission is $10.
Team Stepping Stones also periodically holds Longaberger basket bingo, which is a popular event.
"Kitty is one of only a few who fund-raise all year 'round," said Clarke Relay for Life chairman Bette Marchese. "She's just a peach."
When Henry isn't busy with Relay for Life, she volunteers with Meals on Wheels and is a member of the Women's Club of Clarke County, where she is correspondent secretary and fund-raising chairman. She has previously been active with 4-H, and sings in the choir at Crums Church, where she is a member.
Henry has lived within the same two-mile radius her entire life. She said that she likes Clarke because of the close-knit, friendly atmosphere.
Henry said that she hopes more young people will become involved with Relay for Life, so that the younger generation can continue the important work.
Not that she's showing any signs of slowing down just yet.
For information on getting involved with Relay for Life, call Bette Marchese at (540) 907-1772.
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