It’s that time of year. No, not winter. No, not basketball season. It’s fundraising time for Relay for Life.

Although fundraising efforts for the region’s Relay for Life events occur throughout the year, those efforts intensify during late winter and early spring. Most Relay for Life events take place in the spring, perhaps because spring is a time of renewal. The Relay for Life fundraising activities have one goal — raise money for use in the battle against cancer. When it comes to cancer, sadly, almost every person knows of at least one family that’s been affected by it.

This year, Beaufort County residents have another reason — as if other reasons are not as important — to continue the fight against cancer. Beaufort County recently replaced Lenoir County has the county with the highest rate of cancer in eastern North Carolina. The county has the seventh-highest rate in North Carolina. Those rankings should motivate Beaufort County residents to step up their efforts in the battle against cancer, and that includes providing the money needed to sustain that battle.

So when a church’s Relay for Life team sells casseroles and desserts before, during and after Sunday school and worship services, take advantage of that opportunity to contribute to a worthy cause and enjoy good food at the same time. Another group may raise funds for Relay for Life by washing cars. This entity may have a bake sale, offering pies, cakes, brownies and the like. That organization may conduct a yard sale on a grand scale. A few dollars here, a few dollars there — multiplied over and over — results in much-needed money for cancer research and its goal of finding a cure.

Relay for Life recalls those who were lost to cancer, celebrates those who survived or are fighting it and provides hope that one day there will be no need for Relay for Life. Those are great reasons to support Relay for Life fundraising activities.