By Staff
Beaufort County residents joining fight against cancer
By CLAUD HODGES
Senior Reporter
Many Beaufort County residents are ready to fight again, with cancer their opponent.
They’re going Hollywood, to some degree, for that fight. The theme for this year’s Beaufort County Relay for Life is “RELAYWOOD — Lights … Camera … CURE!”
The Beaufort County Relay for Life will be held May 2-3 at Washington High School’s Wagner Stadium.
The theme was generated by a realization that Hollywood types — actors, directors and producers — use their fame and influence to boost awareness of causes they support. By adopting that Hollywood-style approach, Relay for Life organizers hope to increase awareness of Relay for Life and its purpose.
Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It is the single largest nonprofit fundraising event in the world.
Relay for Life is a community-developed, volunteer-driven, team event to fight cancer. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer.
Relay for Life includes teams of people who camp out at a local high school, park, fairground or other large open area that is conducive to walking and running and take turns walking or running around a track or path.
Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times. A Relay for Life is an overnight event, last up to 24 hours.
West is the American Cancer Society mission delivery manager for the northeastern region of North Carolina.
She said the Web site may be accessed by visiting www.ncrelayforlife.org.
To date, 14 teams have registered, West said. Last year, the event attracted 29 teams. West wants 35 teams to participate this year. For information on how to form a team, call Susie Harding, chairwoman for the Beaufort County Relay for Life, at 940-1472 (home) or 945-6624 (cell).
Team meetings are held at First Free Will Baptist Church, located on the corner of East Ninth and Bonner streets in Washington. The next team meetings will be held at 2 p.m. Feb. 2, March 1 and April 5.
Opening ceremonies for the Beaufort County Relay for Life begin a 6 p.m. May 2. The luminaria ceremony begins at 9 p.m. that day. Closing ceremonies take place at 1 p.m. May 3.
The opening ceremonies involve the first lap of the relay being taken by cancer survivors.
The luminaria ceremony includes luminaria that represent donations made in honor or in memory of someone or a group.
Relay for Life’s “Bank Day” takes place from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. April 26. That’s when teams turn in money they have collected, Harding said.
Relay for Life T-shirts will be distributed that night.