TRUMBULL COUNTY Cancer society is on track for annual Relay for Life

Trumbull's 2002 events lead the nation in their population bracket.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
It's time again to lace up your walking shoes for a cure.
The Mahoning Valley American Cancer Society's Relay for Life events, aimed at raising money to fight the disease, are under way. This year's goal for Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana counties is $1.642 million. The 2002 relays raised $1.383 million in the tri-county area.
"It's so successful each and every year because of the people involved -- the volunteers, the teams and the community," said Al Stabilito, communications and advocacy director for the Mahoning Valley American Cancer Society.
"There are so many pieces to the puzzle making sure every relay is successful."
Schedule
Last weekend's event at Youngstown State University, the second year for a relay at that site, raised about $42,000, an increase of about $18,000 over the previous year.
Events at Niles McKinley High School's Bo Rein Stadium and at Austintown Fitch High School's track are set for May 9-10 -- the fourth annual relays for both communities.
Warren G. Harding High School's Mollenkopf Stadium track and Boardman Center Middle School's track are sites for relays May 16-17.
The Warren relay has raised the most in the state and Boardman the second most the last few years.
"It's really an honor to have both the first- and second-largest relays in our area," Stabilito said.
Warren's 2002 event raised $481,091 while Boardman's garnered $318,000.
Warren is in its 10th year and Boardman in its ninth.
Trumbull County's 2002 Relays for Life raised the highest amount nationwide for relays in its population bracket.
They raised a combined $773,194, earning it the top spot for relays in counties in the 150,000-to-249,999 population category.
New events
Three new relays are being launched in the Mahoning Valley this year.
An Hispanic Relay for Life is set for June 20-21 at the Campbell Memorial High School track. Sebring's debut relay will be at the high school track June 27-28 and Lordstown's first relay is set for Aug. 29-30 at the high school.
The Campbell relay is the first Hispanic event in Ohio, but Stabilito emphasized that participation isn't limited to that ethnic group.
Other relay events planned in the tri-county area:
ULiberty High School, May 30-31 (second).
ULakeview High School track, Cortland, June 6-7 (fourth).
UEast Liverpool Mangano Memorial track, June 6-7 (fourth).
UTwo at the Columbiana County Fairgrounds, Lisbon, June 27-28 (ninth and second).
All relays run for 24 hours from 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday and include entertainment.
"It's a fun event," Stabilito said.
Each event begins with a ceremonial lap for cancer survivors.
Relay for Life was started in 1985 in Tacoma, Wash., by Dr. Gordon Klatt, an American Cancer Society volunteer who walked a track for 24 hours.
It's grown to 3,800 relays across the country -- 190 of them in Ohio.
"Everyone has been touched by cancer," Stabilito said. "Everyone has a relative or a friend who has had cancer and who hopefully is a survivor."