What is the Relay For Life?
Relay For Life began in Tacoma, Washington in 1985 when Dr. Gordon Klatt ran and walked solo around a track for 24 hours, traveling 81 miles. He raised $27,000 for the fight against cancer. Dr. Klatt's vision of creating a relay-style team event materialized the next year when 19 teams participated. What started as a local dream has swept across the country to more than 2,800 communities netting over $169 million nationwide.
Relay For Life is an overnight team event to fight cancer. This year it will again be held on the athletic field at Carroll County High School, on July 29th and 30th.
Here’s how it works: a team captain gets together some of his or her closest friends, co-workers, and family members to form a team. The team members go out and collect contributions, with a goal in mind, prior to the event. Teams get together for bake sales, car washes, yard sales, bean suppers, raffles, pancake breakfasts, and many other events to raise money. The Relay For Life is a celebration party at the end of the fundraising. On Relay day, participants decorate their tents with themes – it’s like a community camp-out. Team members take turns walking around a track throughout the event, while enjoying activities, entertainment, camaraderie and food!
Relay For Life...crossing the finish line isn't nearly as important as crossing the starting line. This team event encourages groups of 8 to 15 committed people from families, corporations, hospitals, and civic groups relaying around the track all night to raise funds to fight cancer. Cancer never sleeps and neither do we.
Who Participates?
Teams are organized by friends, relatives, local businesses, hospitals, schools, churches, service clubs and other organizations. Anyone can participate in the Relay For Life.
