May 1, 2013 2 min read

WAYNESBURG – Residents at Rolling Meadows Nursing and Rehabilitation will take part in the annual Relay for Life Rock-a-Thon Friday, marking the 11th year the event has been held at the facility, according to activities director Sharon Jeffries.

Jeffries said several thousand dollars have been raised by the event over the course of the past 10 years. The rock-a-thon will begin at 9:30 a.m. with the cancer survivor’s lap. Thirteen survivors, or those currently undergoing treatment for cancer who are residents of the facility, will take part, including Loretta Shriver. This will mark the fourth year that Shriver, who is a skin cancer survivor, has participated in the rock-a-thon. She said her family has had its share of cancer. Shriver’s husband, Charles, passed away in 2004 from lung cancer, and her mother, Evelyn Wright, died in 1998 from bone cancer.

“That one was really awful,” she said of her mother’s cancer.

Many who attended Central Greene School District may remember Shriver, who drove a bus there for 24 years before retiring. Jeffries recalled being one of the students she drove to school.

For a second year, the rock-a-thon will feature an opportunity to take part in a Chinese auction with items donated by local businesses and craftspeople, Jeffries said. The karaoke music that has become tradition for the event will be provided this year by John Buchannon of Waynesburg. J.K. Kraich, who was the DJ for the rock-a-thon for the first 10 years, is unavailable.

On average, more than 40 residents, staff, family and community members take part in the annual event. Jeffries said it is through the generous support of everyone involved that the rock-a-thon continues to be such a success.

“It is really a lot of fun,” Shriver added.