GTA News
Plane pullers raise $17K for cancer group
By Bernice Santiago • Pacific Sunday News • April 26, 2009
http://www.guampdn.com/article/20090426/NEWS01/904260313/-1/NEWSFRONT2
Thirty-five teams competed to pull a Boeing plane 12 feet across the tarmac at Continental Airlines' fundraiser for the American Cancer Society yesterday.
Continental raised over $17,000 for the American Cancer Society with entry fees from the contest.
Up to twenty-five participants per team crouched along a rope and heaved in unison to pull the 145,000-pound plane forward at the Continental hangar in Tiyan.
"You get cramped up, but it's exhilarating," said Josephine Cruz, who headed a 20-person team from Dickerson and Quinn.
Cancer survivors began events for the day with a courtesy pull.
Then, the actual competition began, with teams taking turns at pulling the plane forward in the quickest time possible.
GTA Teleguam Holdings won in both the men's and coed divisions.
The men's team broke the standing record, with a time of 5.31 seconds. The coed team pulled the plane 12 feet in 5.44 seconds.
There was no women's division.
More than 60 cancer survivors sat alongside the tarmac to watch the contest with their families, contest participants and other island visitors.
"We are really excited about the turnout," said Thelma Blas, Continental's coordinator of the event.
Continental has held the contest for the past four years.
These kinds of events "show survivors the kind of support the island has for the fight against cancer," said Glenda Pangelinan, event chairwoman of the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, which will take place at 7 p.m. May 22 at George Washington High School.
Pangelinan said the funds raised for the American Cancer Society will support cancer research, local patient services, advocacy efforts and community education.
"To be able to watch all the teams put in their time and effort -- it's uplifiting," said Mary Terlaje, a cancer survivor. "It makes me happy to know that so many people want to help find a cure."
