In its 11th year, citizens form all parts of DeKalb County will go around the track at beautiful Greenbrook Park in the battle against cancer during the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of DeKalb County.
Teams of DeKalb County residents will gather at Greenbrook Park on May 9th at 6:00 pm for an overnight relay against cancer. Relay For Life is a family-oriented team event where participants walk relay-style around the track and take part in fun activities off the track. Teams can include coworkers, club members, family and friends and have gathered donations prior to the event. Live music, food, games, & fun are offered for everyone.
This year 31 teams have joined together to raise money to aid in the battle against cancer.
“Relay For Life is a unique opportunity for our community to come together to celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember those we’ve lost, and fight back against the disease,” said Chris Summers, Community Representative with the American Cancer Society. “Many of the participants are cancer survivors (anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer), which serves as a reminder that our community is not immune to this disease and we can actually help our friends, families and neighbors that have been touched by cancer,” Chris added.
The public is also invited to attend the Luminaria Ceremony, which will take place after sundown at 9:00 pm. To honor the community’s cancer survivors and to remember those lost to the disease, citizens will circle the track rimmed with glowing luminaria while the names of survivors and those lost to the disease are acknowledged. Luminaria can be purchased for $5.00 by calling Melanie Judkins at (615) 597 1132.
Funds raised at Relay For Life will enable the American Cancer Society to support local services and resources for cancer patients and their families. Funds also support critical cancer research and community education programs designed to teach people how to reduce their risk of developing cancer.
The American Cancer Society has to date spent over 9 million on cancer research in our state in 2008! This money is raised by over 130 Relay For Life events across Tennessee in communities that care about fighting cancer.
For the 2008-2009 academic year, the Mid-South Division of the American Cancer Society will award 218 scholarships in the amount of $1,000.00 each to some very deserving young students. Since the beginning of this program in 2001, more than 1,300 of these $1,000.00 scholarships have been awarded.
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