Relay for Life kicks off 2012 campaign

relay.jpg [1]

By ANGIE CARNATHAN
sdnlife@bellsouth.net [2]

The Oktibbeha County Relay for Life 2012 committee kicked off its 2012 campaign, A Salute To Heroes: Fighting Back Against Cancer, Tuesday night at the Central Station Grill.
This year’s Oktibbeha County Relay for Life event is scheduled to take place from 6 p.m., Friday, May 4, to 6 a.m., Saturday, May 5 at the Starkville Sportsplex. The event will feature a survivor’s lap, a caretaker’s lap, games, food, raffles, live music, dancing and a luminary service.
Although the event is in May, Oktibbeha County Relay for Life Co-Chair Brian Hawkins said now is the time to start thinking about participating.
“While the relay is still a little while off, we raise a lot of money before the event itself happens,” Hawkins said. “People need to start forming their teams now and begin their fundraising as soon as possible.”
Hawkins said the committee knows this year’s $100,000 goal is ambitious, but it believes it is achievable with the support of Starkville and Oktibbeha County.
“We think we can hit it, and the more people we get on board the best chance we have to contribute those funds to some groundbreaking research and eventually end cancer once and for all.
“Everybody in this community has been touched by cancer, whether it’s a family member, friend or acquaintance,” Hawkins added.
Another member of the committee is Diane Holloway, this year’s team development chair.
“We are excited about this year’s event,” Holloway said, “and we want to make it the best one yet.”
Holloway said what she enjoys doing most is recruiting new teams, fostering or mentoring them and helping to provide support for each team with ideas about their own fundraising.
“One idea we’re talking about is having a giant flea market using each team that wants to participate,” Holloway said. “We’ll try anything we can to raise money and reach our goal in our fight to beat cancer for good.”