Derby Skaters Versus Cancer at Roller Fundraiser

The Women of Derby Lite are Skating to Save Lives

Friends & Family Skate
By Harlene "Hellin Wheels" Ellin, Derby Lite

Derby girls love a good fight. So it's not surprising that the women of Derby Lite, an Oak Park-based recreational roller skating league, are itching to pulverize cancer.
No, there won't be any fists or elbows flying. Instead, the team is gearing up for the American Cancer Society's annual Walk & Roll in May, and is hosting a Friends & Family Skate at the Lombard Roller Rink (201 W. 22nd St., Lombard) on Sunday, April 26 from 4-7 p.m., in their quest to raise $25,000 for their cause.
The group, which is skating in its second Walk & Roll, has a major grudge against cancer.
"I asked at practice one night how many ladies' lives had been affected by cancer. Nineteen out of 20 hands went up, including my own," says Barbara "Queen B" Dolan, 45, who founded Derby Lite in 2007. "My mom – 'The Queen Mum' – had just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
"Last year, I skated in her honor. She passed away last September. This year, I'm skating in her memory."
Despite the recession, the women are confident they can reach their goal. After all, Derby Lite alone raised more than $22,000 and was among the top three fund raising teams in the 2008 Walk & Roll, says Trina "New York Doll" Bockus, 46, the team's Walk & Roll captain.
"This year, we've already raised more than $10,000 and many team members are still gearing up," Bockus says. "The fundraiser is a great way to have fun with our family and friends and do good at the same time. We have a track record for accomplishing what we set out to do."
The Friends & Family Skate, which is open to the general public, will feature Derby Lite skating demonstrations, along with open skating and children's games. Admission is $5 per person and skate rental is available starting at $3.
The event will also include a raffle and an old-fashioned bake sale, with treats prepared by the derby girls themselves. Among the items for sale: Miss K.O.'s Knockout Apple Crunch and Kelly the Ripa's Strippas.
Derby Lite has 35 active and devoted members and a growing wait list. The skaters range in age from twenty-somethings to sixty-somethings, although most of the "ladies" are in their 30s and 40s. An eclectic crew, Derby Lite’s members include a lingerie boutique owner (“Baubolicious”), a noted economics expert (“Anne Teak”) and, of course, several stay-at-home moms. Although the women come from a variety of backgrounds, they have become a close-knit bunch, as they scrimmage and practice derby drills twice a week at a nearby gym.
They have many reasons for rolling: to get fit, to make friends, to relieve stress, to have fun.
"Skating improves my physical balance, and being with this group of women keeps me laughing – balancing me on the inside," says skater Linda "Flash" Nordin, 41.
In fact, one could say a community has clearly formed among the participants. And that is one thing Dolan set out to do when she started Derby Lite for “Women Old Enough to Know Better.” A former skater, with the Windy City Rollers (Chicago's largest derby league), Dolan missed the camaraderie, along with the physical activity, derby provided when she retired from the WCR in early 2007.
"I'm consistently amazed by the Derby Lite women," Dolan says. "They not only commit themselves to physical activity, but they put their hearts and souls into everything they do. Helping to make this event happen, providing the raffle donations and bake sale goodies – they are truly genuine."
To donate to Derby Lite's Walk & Roll Team go to http://main.acsevents.org/goto/derbylite
For more information about Derby Lite or the Friends & Family Skate contact QueenB@DerbyLite.org.

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