Although many of the final arrangements for the second annual Innisfail Relay for Life have already been made, organizers are still looking for teams interested in participating or individuals willing to work as volunteers.
Last year was the launch of the first ever Relay for Life in Innisfail and the event was a success raising a total of $68,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. This year organizers are hoping to top that and have set a goal to raise $72,000 through the walk for life, said Trish King, event organizer.
There are currently 17 teams registered for the event, which equals that of last year, but registrations are open until June 2 and can be completed online.
The Relay for Life will be held on June 10 at the Innisfail Junior Senior High School and the walk will begin at 7 p.m.
The 12-hour overnight event is a fundraiser that is held based on the motto that cancer never sleeps. Participants take turns walking throughout the night to celebrate cancer survivors, and to remember those that have been lost to the disease.
The night begins with a survivors walk at 7p.m. when those who have beat cancer join together to walk the first lap of the relay. At 10 p.m. walkers stop to light the luminaries symbolizing the remembrance of friends and family members who were lost to cancer. Cancer survivors not participating in the relay are also welcome to participate in the survivors walk, said King.
Participants in the relay are provided with dinner, a midnight lunch, and breakfast in the morning as well as coffee and snacks throughout the night.
All of the funds raised through the event are donated to the Canadian Cancer Society that works to fund research for a cure, and also goes towards several local initiatives, said King.
Some of the money is donated to the wig program in Red Deer that provides wigs to people going through chemotherapy, and some gets donated to the driver program that helps provide drivers to help get patients to treatments in Calgary or Edmonton.
Anyone interested in volunteering to help with the relay can sign up online until June 6, but volunteers are also welcome to show up on the day of the relay as well, said King.
Donations to the relay can be made by pledging a team online, by purchasing a luminary in memory of a loved one or by making a donation to the relay.
