Stretch those legs, it is time for the second annual Elbert County Relay for Life event.

After a successful opening year last year where 29l teams raised over $30,000, the volunteers and team members are working to earn more this year.

Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature event. People in cities and towns from across the country hold their own relays to raise funds for cancer research. The event also celebrates those who have battled cancer and survived, remembers those who lost their battle with cancer and focuses on the fight against cancer to put an end to the disease.

The relay kicks off with the survival dinner at 5 p.m. on June 26 at Elizabeth High School. Cancer survivors and their care givers or family members are invited to enjoy a free dinner in their honor. This year’s Relay for Life theme is Journey of Hope- Celebrating 25 Years of Relay, so the dinner will reflect the theme by featuring multi-ethnic foods that originated from all over the world. Cancer survivors can register before the dinner by calling M’Lynn Sutton at 303-646-3080 or by e-mail at supork@aol.com or on the day of the dinner.

Stacy Reavis, team development leader for the relay, said last year the dinner hosted around 115 people and this year she plans to see a lot more people. Those who attend the dinner do not have to participate in the relay.

The Relay for Life opening ceremony begins at 7 p.m. on the track at Elizabeth High School. The opening lap is dedicated to cancer survivors and their care givers. The cancer survivors will start walking in one direction and the care givers in the opposite direction. They will meet in the middle and the care givers will finish the lap with the survivors.

For the remainder of the relay, the goal is to keep one member from each team constantly on the track walking. And with 38 teams currently registered and 304 total participants, attaining the goal will be easy. For people who can not walk, they can rock for the cure in rocking chairs provided by the volunteers.

The luminarie ceremony will be held once the sun goes down. This is a time to remember family and friends who lost their battle with cancer. All along the track there will be bags decorated with the names of the lost loved ones. This is a quiet time of remembrance and a time to remember why everyone is at the relay, Reavis said.

“Also during this time a bagpiper from the Celtic Society will be playing music,” she said. “Once we begin walking again it shows that we are fighting back against the disease.”

Anybody interested in decorating a bag for a loved one can obtain a bag at Bank of Choice in Elizabeth or at the event for $5.

The relay lasts until 9 a.m. on June 27, and all through out the evening entertainment will be provided. For children there will be various activities at different booths in the middle of the track as well as entertainment from the Gymnastics Etc. Team, 5678 Dance Academy and Jazzercize. Live music will be provided by Elizabeth Celtic Bagpipers, Memory Down, Jake Shelton & Friends and the Pinecrest Community Church worship team.

“We really want this to be a family event where everyone can enjoy themselves,” Reavis said.

This year the Elbert County Relay for Life goal is to raise $45,000 and currently over $22,000 has been raised. But there is also another goal. Reavis said the primary goal is to get the information out to the public about the available services for people fighting cancer. She said there are programs people can utilize in Elbert County with out having to travel to Denver.

“In rural areas it is harder to get the information out there, but if we can get the people in the county at least centralized in Elizabeth and inform them of the programs that is great,” she said.

American Cancer Society services in Elbert County are the Look Good, Feel Better that teaches women beauty tips to feel good about how they look during chemotherapy, Road to Recovery which provides transportation to cancer treatments and Reach to Recovery which provides support and comfort for patients before, during and after breast cancer treatment.

There is still time to register teams for the event. Contact Reavis at 303-646-6273 or Betty Nobles at 303-809-7821 or send an e-mail to elbertcountyrelayforlife@gmail.com or visit www.elbertrelay.org.

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