Jenny Habana received a phone call from a friend who works with the American Cancer Association, asking her to help organize a Relay for Life event in Albert Lea.

She got that call in February, and since then Habana attended at least two meetings a month to get things rolling. Habana was one of the co-chairwomen for the First Annual Freeborn County Relay for Life, which was held Friday.

Habana has a grandfather who had cancer, and she wanted to bring a local event to the county to help raise money for cancer research.

&uot;It is a way I could do something,&uot; she said. &uot;It’s great to honor people who survived.&uot;

Habana said the hardest part of organizing the first Relay for Life was getting the word out and letting people know what was going on.

Habana credits all the other volunteers who have also donated their time to make Friday’s event as successful as it was.

&uot;We’ve had a great committee that has taken all the parts and put them together,&uot; Habana said. &uot;They are really what makes this work.&uot;

The committee will be meeting again soon to discuss Friday’s relay and to begin planning for next year’s event.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the Relay for Life, you can contact the American Cancer Association or call Habana at 373-0319 for more information.