Wednesday, July 25, 2007 12:16 AM CDT
Cumberland County to host its inaugural 'Relay for Life' Friday
By NATHANIEL WEST, Staff Writer
nwest@jg-tc.com
TOLEDO — Cumberland County is preparing for its debut carrying the baton in the Relay for Life.
Popular in counties across the state and nation, Relays for Life raise money for the American Cancer Society and its efforts to combat the disease that touches most Americans in some way. The inaugural Relay for Life of Cumberland County will be held overnight Friday at Neal Park in Toledo.
In addition to benefiting cancer research and prevention, the first-ever event here is already bringing together the individual towns in Cumberland County, said organizers.
“If there was any question about the unity of our county, I think Relay for Life has really defined the close-knit nature of our communities,” said Sara Layton, publicity chair for the Cumberland County event.
Set-up and survivor registration begin at 4 p.m. Friday, while official festivities commence at 6 p.m. with the Muddy Creek bluegrass gospel band. Following laps around the park all night, a closing ceremony and balloon launch are slated for 5:30 a.m. Saturday.
Janet Stierwalt, administrator for the Cumberland County Health Department, said officials with the American Cancer Society contacted the department previously about organizing a Relay for Life in Cumberland County. Last fall, local officials felt “the time was right,” Stierwalt said.
Organizers initially set goals to raise about $30,000 and recruit 15 teams to participate. But at the “kickoff” to the Relay early this year, both goals were already met — and then some.
Kathy Beals, chair of the Cumberland County Relay, said a new benchmark of $60,000 was established following the ease with which the previous goal was surpassed. Meanwhile, more than 30 teams — with eight to 15 members each, representing the towns of Toledo, Greenup, Neoga and others — have already signed up for Friday’s Relay for Life.
“These events are held at the county level and bring the fight against cancer to a local level,” Beals said. “You pay honor and tribute to those who have fought cancer and won, those who are still fighting cancer and those who have lost their battle on a local level.
“It makes it more personal to the volunteers and the community, and puts a face and name to the disease they are trying to help raise money to fight.”
For more information, call Layton at 849-2359 or the health department at 849-3211.
Contact Nathaniel West at nwest@jg-tc.com or 238-6860.
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