Third-grade teacher Tammy Zaffuto knows first hand how devastating it is to lose a loved one to cancer. She lost her mother to ovarian cancer eight years ago. That is why she and her family have participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life every year for the past four years. This year, Zaffuto decided to organize a relay team of her own with her fellow staff members at Brockport's Hill Elementary School. "Each year, the school's Respect and Protect Committee raises money for a worthwhile cause by having teachers and staff donate $5 to wear jeans to school on a Friday, so this year, that money became part of the pledges we gathered for the relay," said Zaffuto. The team was able to collect $400 from the dress-down donations.

In addition, staff sold luminarias for $5 each, which could be purchased in honor or memory of someone with cancer. The luminarias were then lit the night of the relay all around the track and placed on the bleachers to spell out "Hope." The relay took place at Spencerport High School, where the teams walked or ran laps around the track between 6 p.m. and 10 a.m. the next morning. Fourteen staff and administrators made up the "Hill for Hope" team.

With the sales of luminarias, donations to wear jeans, pledges and $105.60 that students donated in spare change, $2,789.60 was raised by the Hill School to support cancer research.