New co-chairwomen are `painting the town purple' for Relay For Life

This year's Relay For Life in Meyersdale will have two new co-chairwomen in charge of the 24-hour walk for the American Cancer Society, set for June 15-16 at the Meyersdale school track.

 

Ginny Knieriem of Meyersdale and Donna Saylor of Salisbury are at the helm of this year's 6th annual event with the theme "We are the Champions."

 

Knieriem follows in the footsteps of her best friend, Diana "Dee" Lepley of Meyersdale, who served as chairwoman for three years and was one of the people responsible for establishing an event here.

 

Knieriem has watched as neighborhood friends, like Lepley and Mark Albright, went through battles with cancer and became survivors. Also, her father, the late Harry Whetsell of Addison, died of leukemia 20 years ago on July 6. Her mother, the former Sandra Greig is originally from the Meyersdale area.

 

"I don't know of anyone who has not in some way been touched by cancer," said Knieriem. "When you have to watch firsthand what someone goes through, you know you want to put an end to this disease. I am working towards that cure. This is my little part (with Relay) so some day my grandson and my kids will never have to even think about this."

 

The former Ginny Whetsell was graduated from Turkeyfoot Valley Area High School in 1975 and married Wayne Knieriem, a local contractor, in 1983 and moved to Meyersdale. They have three children: Bradley, West Virginia; Bri of Meyersdale; and Brooke Petroski, Myrtle Beach, S.C. Their grandson Kyle Petroski is 6-years-old.

 

Her friendship with Diana Lepley goes way back, when Diana lived in her neighborhood on Sherman Street. Lepley went through a battle with breast cancer 16 years ago and was diagnosed with colon cancer two years ago. She had surgery both times and Knieriem was there by her side both times.

 

"When Dee was diagnosed, I stayed at the hospital with her and stayed all night," explained Knieriem. "A lot of people think we are sisters because we are so close."

 

Lepley had her colon cancer surgery at Conemaugh Hospital within a week of her colonoscopy because she knew time was of the essence when it comes to cancer survival. Because it was found and treated so quickly, she did not need any additional treatment for her colon cancer. However, she did take treatment for her breast cancer.

 

When Relay For Life came to Meyersdale five years ago, Knieriem started a Relay team in honor of Lepley called "Dee's Dynamite Spikes," which was sponsored by her husband, Wayne, through Knieriem Construction.