Experience 24 Hours 

You Will Never Forget 

APRIL 2007 -- The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is schedule for June 9-10 at the Weber Point Events Center. At the event, we celebrate survivorship and raise 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. During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is an overnight team event that raises awareness of cancer in the community and raises funds to fight cancer.

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's signature activity. It began in 1985 in Tacoma, Washington, when Dr. Gordon Klatt walked for 24 hours to raise money for the American Cancer Society. He raised $27,000 that first year, and Relay For Life was born.

To participate, recruit friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors to join you in a Relay team. Each team member raises money in the weeks leading up to the event. Then, on Relay Day, members of the team take turns walking around the track over 24 hours.

The goal is to have someone on the track at all times. Relay For Life day is full of fun, fellowship, and festivities. People camp out and create a community party atmosphere together. It's a great team builder for businesses, religious congregations, and other organizations. Cancer touches all of us.

Each Relay For Life starts with the Survivors' Lap. Cancer survivors invited from the community walk in this celebration of survivorship, while the rest of the participant cheer them on. It's testimony to the fact that so many people today do survive cancer.

The most inspirational part of Relay is the Luminaria Ceremony. This is a chance to honor cancer survivors, and to remember those who have lost their battle with the disease.

Each Luminaria bears the name of a person who has battled cancer. At dusk, we light all the candles along the path. They burn into the night and light the way for the walkers-creating a path of hope.