The Vance County Relay for Life is resuming its efforts after several years of reduced activity because of pandemic restrictions. The entire community is invited to the Henderson Family YMCA on Saturday, Sept. 30 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. to participate, honor and remember.
Freddie Harris and Donald Matthews shared details about the event on Wednesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!
“I believe this will be great start for Relay for Life coming back to Vance County, said Harris, one of the organizers from St. James Missionary Baptist Church that is sponsoring the event. There will be an opening ceremony and luminaria lining the track, with lots of activities in between.
The theme is Uniting in Hope, Empowering Together, she said. The main word is hope, Harris said.
Hope is the key word, Harris said. “I’m hoping that hope will inspire people and that people will feel hopeful from this event,” she said.
“Not just cancer survivors, but the city and the county. We really need to come together.”
Donald Matthews remembers the Relay events of some years ago when thousands of people would gather to participate. He was in charge of logistics, and it was challenging to organize 75 or more teams and have them in the right place at the right time.
There are currently nine teams signed up to participate, but the event can accommodate more.
The event is open to the whole community, and Matthews invites other churches, businesses and individuals to take part.
“Just because COVID stopped (us), cancer didn’t stop,” he said. “Our goal is, one day, to work ourselves out of a job. I’d like to see (cancer) eradicated, if I’ve got anything to do with it,” he said.
Harris invites the community to come out and show support for cancer survivors.
Cancer survivors like herself, a two-time cancer survivor.
“We want everybody to come out and be a part of it,” she said.
To register a team, call the American Cancer Society at 800.227.2345 or visit https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=105850 to find out more, make a donation or purchase a luminary.
Luminary bags are $10 each, 3 for $25 or $25 for one gold luminary.
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