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Relays for Life reach home stretch in region
POLAND
The Mahoning and Shenango valleys have a lengthy history of supporting the American Cancer Society through local Relay For Life events, and residents have one last chance to participate as local Relays conclude this weekend.
Relay For Life events will be in Poland at the high school stadium, Columbiana at Crestview Local School football stadium and the Shenango Valley at Buhl Farm Park Shelter 2 in Hermitage, Pa.
“The public is welcome. People think they need to be on a team, but we need the public to come out. They and our volunteers are the ones who make the event,” said Tasha Wells, American Cancer Society staff partner.
As of June 15, the American Cancer Society Northeast Ohio region that encompasses 13 counties — including Mahoning, Trumbull and Columbiana — had raised more than $3.9 million for the nonprofit, Wells said.
Of that amount, about $3.1 million was raised through Relay For Life events, she added.
Relay For Life events follow the same general format over 24 hours: Opening ceremonies kick off the relay, followed by a dinner for cancer survivors, a luminaria [candlelight] ceremony in memory of cancer patients and closing ceremonies. Teams raise funds before and during the event to benefit the American Cancer Society.
Wells is coordinating Relay For Life of Poland and said the event, which is now in its fifth year, continues to grow.
About 30 teams already have registered and raised more about $30,000, she said. Poland’s goal is to raise about $64,000 this year — far exceeding its 2008 total of $13,000.
“There will be lots of fun activities ’round the clock. We’ll have bands, zumba [a dance-based exercise class] and all the good food the teams will be selling,” Wells said.
Laura Nolfi, publicity and luminaria chairwoman for Poland Relay, said all the teams and volunteers are highly motived.
“I think everybody has someone in their lives who has been touched by cancer, and I think if we start now, we can get to a really good place where maybe we won’t have so many people affected by cancer,” she said.
Poland Relay For Life begins at 6 p.m. Friday at the Poland Seminary High School football stadium with ceremonies, activities and entertainment continuing until closing ceremonies at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Wells said supporters who missed their local Relay For Life can still donate online until Aug. 31 by going to RelayForLife.org where they can enter their ZIP code and find their local event.