Committee raises money for Livestrong

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Dara Paulsen kneels in front of the Mahaska County Recreation Foundation table during a breezy Monday evening at the Lacey Complex. Paulsen, along with Mike Ireland, Laura North and Mark Stek, were at the complex to recruit and raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s Livestrong cancer campaign. Herald photo by Michael Schaffer

May 13, 2008

By MICHAEL SCHAFFER

OSKALOOSA — Mahaska County Recreation Foundation took advantage of the thriving crowd at the Lacey Complex Monday evening to recruit and raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s Livestrong campaign to strikeout cancer.

Those wearing yellow to show support for the cause were given a Lance Armstrong Livestrong yellow wrist bracelet for free. Others donated at least $1 for the bracelet.

Mark Stek, a member of the Lacey Advisory Board’s Promotions and Communications Committee, said all the money raised would go to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

“Obviously, the foundation is a really important thing and they feel really strongly about it,” he said. “And obviously, we do too. This is something we wanted to do as a committee. To kind of spark some interest in the community. And just kind of show that we’re giving back as well.”

Stek’s four-member team included Dara Paulsen, a committee volunteer for the event. Paulsen’s father, Craig Dickey, passed away from bile duct cancer at the age of 59. Paulsen, who works in the Marketing Department at Musco Lighting, tearfully recalled the father she lost in 2006.

“You’ve only got one father,” she said. “He was loved by all.”

Paulsen said the one-day event was a way to raise the public’s awareness of the disease.

“It’s out there and it’s big,” Paulsen said. “And try to raise the funds to help to get that research to try and cure this thing that always has been there.”

Paulsen said cancer has a way of bringing a family together and making them stronger.

“You never think it’s going to happen to you until it does,” she said. “And you always think that your family members are invincible. And when it happens to you, it’s hard. But you get through. You get through.”

Herald City Editor Michael Schaffer can be reached by email at mschaffer@oskyherald.com

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Reg Randau speaks at a candidate forum at Smokey Row back in May. At the time, he was running as a Republican for a seat on the Mahaska County Board of Supervisors. Now he’s running as an Independent.