Hotline Radio – Relay for Life Edition
Listen to the entire show on any device, CLICK PLAY.
First up on Hotline Radio: Gardner Mayor Michael Nicholson who spoke about the Greater Gardner Relay for Life. “We still work for hope, we still work to fight cancer.” — The Mayor spoke about losing his aunt Claudia to ovarian cancer 2 years ago and about other members of his family who have had cancer. — The Mayor spoke about a previous “Light the Town Purple” event. — Other topics included: The school budget and the rest of the city budget is before the Gardner City Council. Gardner will NOT have an override this year. — The discussion shifted to the MA State budget and funding for Chapter 90 and Chapter 70. —- The Mayor is not in favor of getting rid of Prop 2 ½. — the Mayor spoke about his campaign kickoff which he says was largely successful “blown away and humbled for the amount of support we received.”
The WGAW Hotline Radio show continued with a recap of the opening ceremonies in the remainder of the first hour and the closing ceremonies in the 2nd hour of the show.
About the Greater Gardner Relay for Life
The 33rd Greater Gardner Relay for Life was held on June 12 and 13, 2026 at Mount Wachusett Community College. The event serves as a fundraising and awareness movement that honors cancer survivors and caregivers while remembering those lost to the disease. The proceedings included military color guards, patriotic performances, and speeches from local dignitaries and organizers who highlighted the millions of dollars raised for research since 1994. A central feature of the ceremony was the Survivor Lap of Hope, where participants used colored crayons to signify their years of survivorship.
Also significant: the roles of various volunteer leadership teams and the symbolic lighting of a torch to represent the ongoing fight for a cure. Musical tributes and a parade of rounded out the opening festivities, emphasizing a shared mission of hope and solidarity. It was announced at the closing ceremonies that over $136k had been raised so far towards the $170k goal, less than $34k to go. You can still donate: RelayforLifeGG.org, CLICK for website.
The 33rd Relay for Life of Greater Gardner functions as both a massive local fundraiser and a critical support network for survivors and caregivers. With $15.5 million raised to date locally, the event continues to drive research and advocacy. As the 2026 relay progresses toward its $170,000 goal, the focus remains on “cutting ties with old science” and fostering a community-wide “World of Color” through collective action and public remembrance.