The annual Relay For Life of Liberty County kicks off tonight at 7 on the Frank Long Elementary School campus.
The overnight event celebrates survivorship and raises money to help the American Cancer Society in its mission to save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer and empower individuals to fight back.
With this year’s “Team Up Against Cancer” theme and the addition of a named laps and games throughout the night, organizers are hoping to raise $100,000 and make this year’s event one of the biggest to date.
“We’ve got close to 40 teams so far and we’ve gotten a great turnout from the schools this year, which has been real encouraging,” RFL Committee Chairman Brian Carter said. “We had a couple thousand people attend last year and I’m expecting a lot more than that this year.”
While the traditional Survivors Lap and Luminaria Ceremony will continue to be highlights of RFL, the event may also create a few future Sanjaya Malakars.
For the fourth year in a row, participants hoping to display their singing skills will be able to take part in the event’s Relay Idol Contest.
“The judging is based on them going around to different camp sites and collecting donations based on their singing. Some may get money and some may not,” Carter joked.
The chair also noted team members hoping to catch catnaps throughout the night may be out of luck.
“We’re featuring a kind of ‘Capture the Flag’ event to keep teams alert throughout the night,” Carter said. “And an aerobics instructor will be on hand at 5:30 (Saturday morning) to wake everybody up.”
Although the night is full of fun and laughter, the reason many residents have supported the event for years is not lost in the shuffle, according to Carter.
“Everybody has either had it or knows somebody close to them that has it, whether it’s a family member or friend,” he said. “Cancer affects everybody in one way or another.”
The overnight event celebrates survivorship and raises money to help the American Cancer Society in its mission to save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer and empower individuals to fight back.
With this year’s “Team Up Against Cancer” theme and the addition of a named laps and games throughout the night, organizers are hoping to raise $100,000 and make this year’s event one of the biggest to date.
“We’ve got close to 40 teams so far and we’ve gotten a great turnout from the schools this year, which has been real encouraging,” RFL Committee Chairman Brian Carter said. “We had a couple thousand people attend last year and I’m expecting a lot more than that this year.”
While the traditional Survivors Lap and Luminaria Ceremony will continue to be highlights of RFL, the event may also create a few future Sanjaya Malakars.
For the fourth year in a row, participants hoping to display their singing skills will be able to take part in the event’s Relay Idol Contest.
“The judging is based on them going around to different camp sites and collecting donations based on their singing. Some may get money and some may not,” Carter joked.
The chair also noted team members hoping to catch catnaps throughout the night may be out of luck.
“We’re featuring a kind of ‘Capture the Flag’ event to keep teams alert throughout the night,” Carter said. “And an aerobics instructor will be on hand at 5:30 (Saturday morning) to wake everybody up.”
Although the night is full of fun and laughter, the reason many residents have supported the event for years is not lost in the shuffle, according to Carter.
“Everybody has either had it or knows somebody close to them that has it, whether it’s a family member or friend,” he said. “Cancer affects everybody in one way or another.”