Warren Relay again draws huge throng to Courthouse Square

WARREN

Adversity seemed like the last thing on the minds of a huge throng of cancer survivors and their supporters Friday evening as the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life kicked off on Courthouse Square.

The evening featured weather that was nothing short of perfect — with blue skies and cool, sun-filled breezes putting the crowd in a happy and festive mood.

The relay, considered the largest in Ohio because of funds raised and number of survivors participating, will most certainly keep its top billing this year, given the huge turnout, said ACS events manager Pam Marshall.

“Normally, we have 1,200 to 1,400 survivors,” Marshall said. Some years, the event has had the most cancer survivors of any relay in the country, Marshall said.

With Friday’s crowd, it’s likely Warren had the most again, she said.

Mayor Doug Franklin, announcing the start of the relay for the first time as mayor, said it’s perhaps not a coincidence that Warren brings out survivors each spring in record numbers.

“If anybody wants to know about survival, they need look no further than downtown Warren,” Franklin said.

For more on the event, which continues through Saturday, read Saturday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.