The American Cancer Society will conduct Abilene’s 17th annual Relay for Life from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m on April 29-30, at Elmer Gray Stadium .
Maria Whittemore, chair of the event, said she is excited about the participation this year and enjoys seeing everything come together.
“Last year was my first year as chair,” Whittemore said, “and seeing the whole event come together was very rewarding. This year, the number of teams we have signing up is very exciting. Participation is going to be good.”
Teams are encouraged to have at least one member walk or run the track all night, but members may walk in whatever increments and for however long they choose. All members are encouraged to stay for the entire activity-packed evening.
Relay for Life is the largest non-profit fundraiser of its kind in the world, said Tiffany Lamb, ACS community manager of development.
“We are on track to have more teams than ever before, partly because ACU is helping out this year,” Lamb said. “We currently have 61 teams registered. Teams can organize however they want. For instance, if you have 12 members, one can walk for each hour.”
Last year, one relay participant ran a total of 105 laps, the equivalent of a marathon. Members can run, walk or simply come to participate in the events and cheer on others. Volunteers also are needed to help with children’s games and activities.
The purpose of the all-night event is to honor a cancer patient’s journey and the long vigil through chemotherapy treatments. For those not looking to run a marathon, a full-schedule of activities takes place off the track.
The schedule includes a 7 p.m. survivor’s lap; the 9 p.m. Luminaria Ceremony, commemorating those lost as participants line the track with candlelit, white bags; the 10 p.m. Fight Back Ceremony, an energy-packed event designed to build momentum for the rest of the night; the midnight Miss Relay contest and pizza; a 3 a.m. chocolate buffet; and finally, an early morning breakfast with breakfast burritos and an awards ceremony celebrating the night. Although the Luminaria Ceremony is a somber time of remembrance for lost loved ones, most of the night will focus on building momentum and hope for the future.
Participation requires payment of a $10 registration/commitment fee, per person. After that, any additional funds can be raised individually, as a team or online. Participants who register by March 28 and raise $100 or more will receive a Relay for Life T-shirt. General registration is open until and through the event.
Of the funds raised, 80 percent go directly to research, education, advocacy and services for patients and their families. Services the ACS provides include, but are not limited to, gas cards, lodging, wigs and breast prostheses. Abilene is part of the West Texas region, which extends as far as El Paso and includes many patients who travel to Abilene for treatment at the Texas Oncology-Abilene and Hendrick Medical Center.
For more information about Relay for Life, contact Maria Whittemore at 325-338-3908 or visit www.relayforlife.org/abilenetx.
