Relay for Life is this Saturday

Special luminaria – paper lanterns lit to represent those lost to cancer and those who have survived – will be showcased during the 17th Annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Fayette County this Saturday.
The Relay for Life will again be held at Rogier Park on West Fillmore Street in Vandalia, but the time has been changed. This year’s event will be held from noon-midnight.
The Survivors Lap will kick off the 2013 Relay For Life event of Fayette County at noon. Survivors will circle the upper loop, surrounded by friends and family cheering them on.
Also a part of Fayette Relay For Life event is the Fight Back Ceremony, in which a community leader will inspire Relay participants with his or her own commitment and will challenge them to take a personal pledge of action (e.g., stop smoking, eat more healthily, exercise regularly, etc.) in fighting back.
“Many of us have been affected by cancer; the Luminaria Ceremony is a moving way to remember those who lost their battle and to pay tribute to survivors,” said Grace Lambert, volunteer luminaria chair.
“The American Cancer Society has contributed to a 20-percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since the early 1990s, and as we celebrate 100 years of fighting to save lives, we reinforce our commitment to bringing an end to cancer as we know it, so that fewer people will have to suffer from this terrible disease.”
Anyone interested in making a luminaria donation may do so by contacting Lambert at 292-0506 or by visiting www.relayforlife.org/fayetteil. Each luminaria candle is $10. Information about making a luminaria donation, forming a team or walking in the Survivors Lap is available by calling Sarah Fuesting at (217) 356-9076, or visiting RelayForLife.org.
Relay For Life events are held as individuals and teams camp out at a school, park or other gathering area, with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track or pathway at all times throughout the evening.
Teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fundraisers at their camp sites during the event.
Relay events celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and provide participants with an opportunity to fight back against the disease – all aimed at furthering the American Cancer Society’s vision of a world with less cancer and more birthdays.
The American Cancer Society is a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers saving lives and fighting for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. As the largest voluntary health organization, the society’s efforts have contributed to a 20-percent decline in cancer death rates in the U.S. since 1991, and a 50-percent drop in smoking rates.
Thanks to the ACS’ progress, nearly 14 million Americans who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will celebrate more birthdays this year. As the society marks its 100th birthday in 2013, it’s determined to finish the fight against cancer.
We’re finding cures as the nation’s largest private, not-for-profit investor in cancer research, ensuring people facing cancer have the help they need and continuing the fight for access to quality health care, lifesaving screenings, clean air, and more,” said Sarah Fuesting of the ACS.
For more information, to get help or to join the fight, call 1-800-227-2345, or visit cancer.org.