Randolph County Relay For Life preparing for May 5 event
The Randolph County Relay For Life group made plans for the May 5 Big Event "Relay For Life" during a recent meeting.
A gathering was set for April 9 at the Red Bud High School Gym to finalize plans and do a walk through. Participants are asked to be at the gym at 6 p.m.
Other information covered at the meeting was basic information about the day of the relay. The Opening Ceremony will be at 3 p.m., with the closing ceremony at 8:30 p.m. The event should be over at 9 p.m. The schedule will give everyone plenty of time before the event to do errands, spend time with family, or other business or activities.
Several entertainment groups have signed up to keep the entertainment going. A new group will perform evert half-hour, ranging from the school band to Southern Illinois Dance, Yoga instruction, Martial Arts, AMD others.
A raffle is also scheduled. and donations from local business are currently being accepted.
A memorial area will be set up for people to bring pictures of friends and family who have had cancer. If you are coming, or even if you can't come, please bring, or send photos to someone in the group so we can honor your loved ones.
The theme this year is "Relay Around the World." Each participating group is to choose a different country to represent. They will dress and decorate their areas accordingly. Teams can be any number of people. You can be a one-person team, or you can get all your friends and family together. There is no limit.
Any cancer survivors who would like to come, but they don't want to be on a team, are invited to join the festivities, and there will be a meal and recognition provided for them.
Luminaria bags are also being sold to light up the gym on May 5. Each bag is decorated to encourage those who are fighting cancer, those who have beat cancer, those whom we've lost to cancer and those who have become caregivers to people with cancer. If you purchase a bag, you can put the person's name on the bag, along with any note you might want to write.
All the proceeds from the relay/ fun day goes to the American Cancer Society to fight every cancer in every community. Each year, more than 4 million Relay For Life participants around the world rally communities to celebrate those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and take action to fight back.
For more information, contact Kim Schaefer at (618) 978-3487. To register your team for the relay, or send a photo of a loved one for the memorial wall, or send in $10 for a luminaria bag to honor a loved ones fight with cancer, or to honor your own fight with cancer, mail to Kim Schaefer, 345 W. Mill St., Ruma, Illinois 62278.
Everyone is affected by cancer in some way, and everyone is included in the "Relay For Life" celebration. For updates and more information look on Facebook at "Relay For Life of Randolph County" (Illinois). Or www.RelayForLife.org