Archives: Events

While Team Ovations – and all the walkers – will not be gathering on the historic Boston Marathon® course this year, the 2020 Jimmy Fund Walk will be YOUR WAY!
We will be safely participating in our own walk on Sunday, October 4, 2020 to support vital cancer research!

The Walk may look different this year, but we are still in it Together, Wherever, Against Cancer!

Our 2019 Walk Highlights
-We raised just over $19K!
-Overall, we ranked 97 out of 827 teams!

By participating in the 2020 Boston Marathon® Jimmy Fund Walk, our team is making every step count toward the ultimate finish line: a world without cancer!

Together we can conquer cancer!

Click the link to join us and/or make a donation to support us!

https://danafarber.jimmyfund.org/

The retreat IS happening this fall but it will be a virtual retreat instead of being together at Camp Kieve in Maine.

This virtual retreat will start Thursday afternoon, October 1st and end Saturday evening, October 3rd.
There will be a social worker to lead group discussions in large and small groups, facials under the
direction of Elizabeth Grady School of Esthetics, yoga, meditations, art projects, music, dance,
instructions on self-massage and body care and other activities with plenty of time to share in small and
large groups. We will have our annual memorial service to remember our dear friends.
You will each receive a box the week before the retreat that will contain all you need to participate in
the activities planned, with a few surprises as well.

There will be a small fee for the retreat but again, please know there is scholarship money so do not let
that stop you from registering. We really do want you to be with us! You may be just the woman another woman needs to meet!

Click below to learn more and to register – starting July 15th.
www.turningthetideovariancancerretreats.com

The Frances F. Morast 5K Walk/Run to Beat Ovarian Cancer
Saturday, September 26th

HAS GONE VIRTUAL!

We thought we would do a Golf Tournament this year but COVID 19 had other plans for us!

Following the State guidelines, we felt it was not in the best interest of our community to move forward with the planned Golf Tournament, so we have decided to once again host a 5K – but making it virtual.

Are we disappointed to not see our amazing community this year? We sure are!!

But remember – cancer never takes a break and our service and support to those in treatment MUST continue! This is why we need your help NOW! This is why we have decided to continue the spirit of our event virtually. We will be recreating as much of the day’s celebration as we can online and invite you to join us in a show of support for each other. The Run/Walk will take place in any location at any time you would like.

With your support, our goal is to continue bringing the community together and to honor those we have lost and support those who are fighting.

Date: Saturday, September 26th
Location: Your choice!
Registration: Adult 18 and over: $25 |  Teen 10 – 17: $15 | Child under 10: $10

Next year….we WILL play golf!

But for now:

Sign up for our event and we will send you an event package including an Ovations Shirt, bumper stickers, bookmarks and more…everything you need to create your own mini event at home.

Celebrate on June 14th by holding your own Walk/Run at home, in your neighborhood, or with family and friends (when that is allowed) – and maintaining social distancing guidelines.

20% of the proceeds from this event will benefit the Frances F. Morast Scholarship to Beat Ovarian Cancer and the remaining 80% of the proceeds will benefit Ovations for the Cures Patient Support Programs.

After the event:

Post and/or email us pictures of you participating in the walk that we can upload on our Facebook page – we love “landmark” photos and always love to see folks sporting their Ovations for the Cure gear! We will also create a photo page on this page after the event!

Everything can be e-mailed to susan@ovationsforthecure.org.

Start a team, join a team, join as an individual YOU can make a difference!

Register Now: http://morast5k-2020.everydayhero.do/

Due to the new restrictions in place for outdoor gatherings, we have decided that it is in the best interest of everyone to postpone this event to next year.

Ovations invite everyone to join us on a family-friendly walk through Stanley Park and to join us at our 2nd Annual Springfield Family Fun Day.

This will be a 1.5 mile (2.4K) walk around the breathtaking grounds of Stanley Park. We welcome leashed, well socialized, four-legged family members to join us in the fight against ovarian cancer. Awareness and education of this disease will help lead us to a cure. The proceeds from this event will help us to continue funding ovarian cancer support programs in Western Massachusetts.

Date:
Sunday, September 20, 2020

Location:
Stanley Park
400 Western Avenue, Westfield, MA

Schedule:
10:00 am: Sign in and Registration
10:30 am: Welcome and Guest Speakers
11:00 am: Family Walk Around the Grounds
12:00 to 2:00 pm: Family Fun Day Activities

Pre-Registration:
Adult 11 and over: $25
Children 3 to 10: $15

All pre-registrants will receive a T-Shirt on the morning of the walk.

Day of Registration:
Adult 11 and over: $30
Children 3 to 10: $20

Duration:
The walk is 1.5 miles during which you will enjoy the sights and learn about ovarian cancer on the FYI signs placed throughout.

Parking is available on the grounds.

Register Now

Thank You To Our Sponsors

Due to the current conditions surrounding COVID-19, we have decided to move this year’s 5K Run/Walk to a virtual run and walk. As we enter our tenth year of supporting ovarian cancer awareness and services, we feel that now, more than ever, it is important to continue with our annual events. We typically culminate our fundraising during September’s Ovarian Cancer Awareness month with our 5K Run/Walk through beautiful historic downtown Newburyport. This year, we will not let COVID-19 stop us, and we will continue in the same spirit—except virtually.

What does this mean for you?

More time for fun as the virtual run/walk is now a 2-week long event! Register between now and Sunday, September 27, no later than 8:00 PM by choosing below whether you are a runner or a walker and then participate from the comfort of your own home, neighborhood, downtown Newburyport, a rail trail, or your personal favorite route between Monday, September 14, through Sunday, September 27, no later than 11:59 PM. Make this your very own virtual experience!
Preregister as a team or an individual online to receive your SWAG BAG. Tee shirts will be given to the first 75 registrants.

Online registration:
$25 for ages 18+
$20 for ages 10-17
$15 for those under 10

For runners, you can map out your route and use your favorite GPS tracking device or app to log your distance and time. Submit your time manually upon completion of your run into the online virtual result by Sunday, September 27, no later than 11:59 PM.

Get involved! Ham it up! Have fun! Post pictures on your favorite social media by Sunday, September 27, no later than 11:59 PM. Tag your photos with #GNOCA5K2020 and visit us on:

Facebook: @ocawareness
Instagram: @gnocawareness
Twitter: @GNOCAwareness
If you have private social media accounts or do not have social media, you can email your photos to GNOCA5K@gmail.com.
RUNNERS, track your own times and email them to GNOCA5K@gmail.com.

We will be awarding prizes for:

Runners:

• Best Time Male
• Best Time Female

Everyone:

• Best Overall Photo
• Most Spirited Photo
• Sweatiest Selfie
• Most Creative DIY Finish Line Photo
• Junior MVP
• Most Ambitious Four-Legged Friend(s)

An online virtual closing ceremony will be held on Tuesday, September 29, at 7:00 PM via Facebook to thank everyone for their participation, announce the winners, and conclude this event.

We look forward to seeing all of your smiling faces online as you help us continue our annual tradition of bringing the community together, honoring those we have lost, and supporting those who continue to fight.

Link to the event page: https://gnoca5krunwalk2020.everydayhero.do/.

Carol passed away 15 years ago from ovarian cancer, and her fighting spirit still lives in her family and friends, especially her daughters Alyson and Ashley.

Proceeds from this event will benefit Ovations for the Cure.

This year’s tournament will be a Florida-style 8:30 am Shotgun Start and will include fees, carts, cash bar, continental breakfast and lunch.

There will be an awards banquet with charitable drawings and door prizes.

Location:
Brookmeadow Country Club
100 Everendon Road, Canton

Time:
8:30am

To reserve your spot, please click the link below:
https://app.cheerfulgiving.com/e/carol-hanf-memorial-golf-tournament

Here is your chance to win a basked FILLED with $600 Worth of Massachusetts State Lottery Scratch Tickets!

Are you ready to get rich quick and hit a jackpot?!?!

We are only selling 500 chances – so the odds are in your favor.

Once all 500 chances are sold we will do a drawing and announce the winner on Facebook Live

Get your tickets while you can: https://app.cheerfulgiving.com/e/lottery-ticket-basket-giveaway

Welcome to the Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awareness (GNOCA) 2020 VIRTUAL LANTERN FESTIVAL. GNOCA has sponsored a lantern festival at the Bartlet Mall in Newburyport since 2011 to remember and commemorate family and friends whom we have lost, as well as to make wishes for health and happiness for ourselves, for our families and friends, and for our world. 

In response to COVID-19 the festival has been moved from the Bartlet Mall to your home and will be available online from 7 p.m., on Sunday, September 6th. 

The Newburyport Lantern Festival is inspired by the Asian tradition of decorating and floating lanterns at dusk to remember departed family members and friends and to make wishes for the future. 

DECORATING YOUR LANTERN 

A lantern and a tea light are found in the packet you have received from GNOCA. You can personalize your lantern to commemorate the person or persons you are remembering, or the wishes you are making, by using markers, crayons, stencils, stickers, ribbons, photos, names, messages or anything else that inspires you. You can even select some background music that sets the atmosphere or mood for you. As you decorate your lantern, you might find it a good time to talk about the person you are honoring, remembering or wishing well. You might recall joyful times and activities, funny stories, legendary accomplishments, memorable travels and favorite meals or treats. This could also be an ideal time to share hopes, dreams and wishes for the future for us as individuals and as a community. 

PLANNING YOUR CEREMONY 

GNOCA has prepared a video for a lantern ceremony that will be available online at 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 6th, at: Facebook.com/ OCAwareness, and at:  Instagram.com/GNOCAwareness. (A Facebook account is not necessary.) 

This video can also be viewed at any time in the future and will run less than 30 minutes, including both music and a poem. It will conclude with an invitation to “launch” your lantern. 

Use the enclosed battery-operated tea light. Do not use an open flame in your lantern! Even so, please supervise young children as they decorate and prepare their lanterns for launching. 

You might choose to create your own ceremony on your own schedule, before or after September 6th, possibly on a special anniversary or memorial occasion. Here are some ideas of what you might do. 

• Select and play or sing a special piece of music that reminds you of those you are remembering or the wishes you are making. 
• Select and read a poem, prayer or story. 
• “Launch” your lantern. It could be placed outside on your driveway, porch or window. You could launch your lantern in a small body of water, but you will want to be able to collect the lantern before it floats away. 
• Select a piece of music or a reading to end the ceremony. 
• We encourage you to send us your photos and videos to nbptlanternfest@gmail.com or share them on social media, tagging Greater Newburyport Ovarian Cancer Awareness on Facebook and Instagram. 

THANK YOU for your participation in the GNOCA 2020 Newburyport Lantern Festival. We are especially grateful for our generous sponsors and supporters of this event. 

GNOCA’s mission is to promote awareness of ovarian cancer and its symptoms and raise funds for research leading to a cure. Proceeds from this event go to local efforts to help women and their families  affected by ovarian cancer and to Ovations for the Cure, a Massachusetts nonprofit working toward a cure. 

Tickets: https://app.cheerfulgiving.com/e/virtual-lantern-festival

Check our website at:  www.ocawareness.org for the 2020

VIRTUAL 5K RUN/WALK, taking place September 14 – 27.