Relay helps bring hope to future cancer survivors

Times Reporter

 

Over the next week preparations will begin to get the Ag. Society grounds ready for Strathmore’s annual Relay for Life, which takes place June 10. Committee members are working on tying up loose ends, and waiting for the day.

“Me and my boss at A&W have planned food, entertainment, luminaries and survivors,” said Kristel Lang, a Relay for Life committee member. 

There is also a friendly competition going on at A&W. They have put in two teams – boys versus girls – and the loser has to cook the winner dinner. The girl who brings in the most donations will have a cheesecake made for them by Lang. 

There have been a few changes to the event for this year.

“I think the newest thing is, compared to past years the committee member in charge of food has decided that survivors deserve a sit-down meal. So we’ve recruited some waitresses and looking for more who are going to serve a prime rib dinner to the survivors,” said Lang. 

Entertainment will also be starting earlier this year, beginning around 4 p.m. The survivor dinner will be at 5:30 p.m., and the survivor lap will begin at 7 p.m. There will be a head shave again this year, and the committee is always looking for more teams to register. 

“It’s going to be a full, full packed event right from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. We have some fun things planned. We are going to have all the teams dress up and we’re going to do a contest with pedometers…we’re working on the fine details,” said Lang.

“There are going to be contests, and games to keep the night lively so you don’t have to walk the whole 12 hours. There’s lots of local talent. There’s singers, there’s a couple of different bands, I believe the cheer club is going to do their routine again.”

Last year a few teams registered at the site, but they do encourage people to register online so they can order the size of t-shirt they like, it will guarantee a campsite, plus it’s a little cheaper. As of May 27 there were 18 teams registered, and the goal is to see 25. 

“We would take 100 (teams), it’s not limited at all. The first year it was in Strathmore it was an amazing event,” said Lang.