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Relay for Life Slated for June 16-17

From staff reports

It’s difficult to find a single person that hasn’t been affected by cancer. Whether by the loss of a family member or co-worker, nearly every person has felt this heartache caused by this dreaded disease at some point in their lives.

To remember and honor the lives of those lost ones, local organizers have planned the second edition of a fund-raising effort to assist the American Cancer Society.

One day. One night. One community. Relay for Life is about celebration, remembrance and hope. By participating, you honor cancer survivors, pay tribute to the lives we’ve lost to the disease and raise money to help fight it – all right here in the community. You won’t want to miss one moment of this life - and community-affirming event.


Ladies walk around the track in last year's
Relay for Life event.

Beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 17 and continuing until 6 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, teams will continuously walk around the track at Gate City High School to raise money for cancer research.

“On behalf of the committee, we wanted to raise awareness in Scott County on the warning signs of cancer and educate what resources are available through the American Cancer Society, and still raise funds for research,” explained Sandy Smith, co-chair of the event. “We felt like this needed to be an entire community event, and this year, we have representation from all areas of the county.”

Relay for Life is a team event where groups of people can share a common cause. Together they are fighting cancer. Teams raise money in their own unique ways before and during the event. Scott County’s Relay for Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported and that one day cancer will be eliminated.

Currently 20 teams have registered to participate in the Scott County event this weekend. Teams include ACH High, Scott E-911, Brothers and Sisters in Christ, A Future and a Hope, Fort Blackmore United Methodist Church, Curves 1, 2, 3, Food City, Pendleton’s Freewill Baptist Church, Red Hill Memorial Church, Hiltons United Methodist Church and youth, Family United for a Cure, Revolutionaries, Scott County Virginia Star, Key Club Falcons of Volunteer High School, Cancer Cruisers, Tap it Out and Rye Cove United Methodist Church.

Approximately 400 volunteers have already registered to walk and registration continues through June 15. Scott County teams have already raised $17,601 and organizers are hoping to top $25,000 this year.

Friday night’s event begins with the solemn survivors walk and unfolds as a team representative is required to be walking throughout the event. Teams composed of eight to 15 participants will camp out at Gate City High School and take turns walking or running around the track. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event.

At dusk, hundreds of luminaries are lighted to honor those suffering from the disease and remember those who fought the good fight. Luminaries will be sold during the event at a cost of $5 each until 9 p.m. on June 16.

Although Relay is an overnight event sometimes up to 24 hours in length, the Scott County event is a 12-hour effort. Beginning with opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. on June 16, the walk concludes at 6 a.m. on June 17. Individuals are not required to walk the entire 12 hours but teams are asked to have a team representative walking throughout the event.

During a Relay event you will hear a variety of stories why people are walking, some from survivors, caregivers, family members, friends and loved ones. Some stories are happy ones and some are sad ones, but the story on Friday night for those who participate is a story of a community that has taken up a fight to find a cure. 

“Studies show one in three of us will be affected by cancer within our lifetimes,” Smith added. “We want to make those odds better for our children and our grandchildren. We urge you to come out on Friday night and take your neighbor’s hand and help make a difference in Scott County.”

Teams continue their fund-raising efforts during the 12-hour event through special games, food sales and other fun activities. The public is welcome to come out and support this worthy cause at the second annual Scott County Relay for Life.

“On behalf of the American Cancer Society, the Scott County Relay Event committee and the 20 teams we invite you to come out Friday night, June 16,” said Ivy Lane, chair of the Scott County Committee. “We have a fun-filled night planned to celebrate life, a night of honoring survivors and a night of remembering family members and friends who have lost the battle.”

A complete list of activities for the Scott County Relay for Life is included in this week's print edition.

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