Relay for Life enters planning stages
Published 9:09 am Friday, March 20, 2009
Though the Freeborn County Relay for Life event is still more than four months away, team captains and others interested in starting a team will meet soon to prepare and plan for this year’s event.
The meeting, at 6:30 p.m. March 31, will be held at the Fairlane Building at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds.
Jolean Shea, with the Freeborn County Relay for Life Committee, said she and other organizers will give the team captains and other interested people the information about what to expect at the relay. They will ask for feedback and give out dates of upcoming events.
Relay organizers will talk about the grounds and camping for the event, Shea said.
At an upcoming team meeting, a representative from the statewide Sage Screening Program will share information about how local relay money goes to support services — such as breast and cervical cancer screening — for county residents.
This year the American Cancer Society is offering an incentive to get more teams to participate in the Relay for Life, Shea said. Anyone who recruits a new team will be given an American Cancer Society jacket.
Last year, the goal of 52 teams was surpassed, when 60 teams came out to participate in the Freeborn County Relay for Life, she said. The goal this year will be to reach 60 teams again.
“Everybody knows somebody or is somebody who’s dealing with cancer,” she said. “The Relay for Life is huge as far as bringing in money and keeping so much of the money in our county.”
Another team meeting is scheduled for April 28.
Last year teams themselves raised $120,000, Shea said. Eighty percent of all the money raised in the relay stays in Freeborn County.
During the next few weeks, Relay for Life organizers will be looking for honorary co-chairmen or women to recognize and promote this year’s event. They are looking for one adult survivor, one youth survivor and one caregiver.
The relay kickoff is scheduled for May 12, and the Northbridge Mall team fundraising day is scheduled for June 27.