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July 2008 |
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Relay for Life ready for broadcast tonight |
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Friday, 16 May 2008 |
By BRIAN HAWKINS
Starkville Daily News
Organizers and volunteers with the 2008 Oktibbeha County Relay for Life will be "broadcasting hope to the world" today as the annual event raises money to support American Cancer Society research, education, advocacy and patient assistance programs.
Relay For Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate cancer survivorship and raise money for cancer research and programs. This year's event is again being held at the Starkville Sportsplex, with festivities kicking off about 5 p.m. today and continuing into the predawn hours Saturday morning.
During the event, teams of people gather at schools, fairgrounds, or parks and take turns walking or running laps around a track surrounded by booths and tents representing each team. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.
Games, food and live entertainment are big part of the local Relay for Life event. But a primary focus is honoring cancer survivors and paying tribute to those who lost their battles with the disease.
The fund-raising goal for this year's Relay is $65,000. As of Thursday afternoon, $56,412.04 had been raised, with more money still coming in. The 2007 Relay raised $61,517.13 to support the Cancer Society.
"We're very excited about Relay finally getting here, and we are confident that we not only will meet our fund-raising goal, but exceed it," said Relay for Life Chairwoman Sylvia Templeton, herself a breast cancer survivor. "This year's event promises to be a lot of fun, and we encourage the public to come out to the Sportsplex and participate in all that's going on."
The theme
This year's Relay will follow a television theme, "Tube Time: Broadcasting Hope to the World," with each of the 24 participating teams decorating their tents at the Relay according to a different television show.
The Oktibbeha County Hospital/Center for Breast Health Team, for example, has chosen "Survivor" as its TV show, while the Atmos Energy, Sudduth Elementary and Bunko Babes teams have chosen "The Andy Griffith Show," "Will and Grace" and "Desperate Housewives" as their shows. The remaining 20 teams have all selected shows by which their tents will be decorated.
The Relay teams this year are as follows:
• Armstrong Middle School.
• Atmos Energy.
• BancorpSouth.
The Linda Barnhill Family.
• Bunko Babes.
• The Citizen’s Bank.
• Starkville Church of Christ.
• CVS Pharmacy.
• Emerson Family School.
• First Baptist Church of Longview.
• Garan Manufacturing.
• Kroger.
• Longview United Methodist Church.
• Meadowview Baptist Church.
• Merchants and Farmers Bank.
• Oktibbeha County Hospital/Center for Breast Health.
• Pam Foster.
• Second Baptist Missionary Church.
• Starkville Police Department/City Hall.
• Sudduth Elementary School.
• Synergetics/Metrocast Communications.
• Wal-Mart.
• Welch Funeral Home.
How money is raised
Individual teams have been raising money for the Relay since the kickoff meeting was held in January. Teams have held yard sales, bake sales, tennis tournaments, raffles and other fund-raisers.
During tonight's event, teams will continue fund-raising toward the $65,000 goal. As of Thursday afternoon, here is a listing of what some of the teams are doing to raise money during tonight's Relay:
• Premier Radiology — Selling pizza, cold drinks and homemade cookies.
• Meadowview Baptist Church — Selling corn, desserts and drinks, as well as keychains.
• Atmos Energy — Selling pulled pork sandwich plates, including baked beans, potato chips and drinks.
• M & F Bank — Holding a bake sale and selling McAlister's Deli tea, coffee.
• Garan — Selling chips, hot dogs and cookies.
• Synergetics/Metrocast — Selling hot dogs, chips and drinks.
• Church of Christ — Selling popcorn and possibly baked goods.
• Welch Funeral Home — Selling coffee and brownies.
• The Barnhill Family/Cantrell's Personal Care Home — Breast cancer awareness and inspirational merchandise, including jewelry, tote bags, lotions, etc.
Other fund-raising efforts have included sales of Torches of Hope in memory of a cancer patient or in honor of a cancer survivor.
Sold for a minimum donation of $100 apiece to the Cancer Society, each torch will bear a specially made nameplate with the Relay for Life logo, the name of the individual for whom the torch was purchased and the person who purchased the torch. All the torches of hope will be placed to form a display area within the Relay for Life site at the Starkville Sportsplex and may be picked up by the purchasers at the conclusion of the event.
In addition to the Torch of Hope sales, the traditional sale of luminaries for the Relay for Life has also been held.
Like the Torch of Hope, those purchasing luminaries buy them in memory of someone who died from cancer or in honor of a cancer survivor.
During the Relay event, the luminaries are placed along the track where participants walk throughout the night. The luminaries are lit in a special service.
Sold for $10 apiece, Relay for Life organizers said more than 500 luminaries were purchased at the 2007 Relay in honor of a cancer survivors or in memory of those who lost the battle with cancer. Luminaries can be purchased during the Relay event up until the beginning of the luminary service at 10 p.m. |
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 17 May 2008 )
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