Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
In the United States, there are 3,131 counties.
There are 3,803 American Cancer Society Relay For Life events planned for this year; one Relay site for every 90,000 people; and more than one-third of the counties in the U.S. have more than one Relay site.
Kosciusko County is holding its Fifth Annual Relay For Life this weekend at Central Park, Warsaw, with the theme of "Circus." Registration begins at 5 p.m. Friday with opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. with an acknowledgement of the county's Road to Recovery Drivers, the top group in the area.
The survivor lap will kick off at 6:15 p.m. with a survivor dinner at 6:30 p.m. All cancer survivors are invited to celebrate life and hope for a cure by joining in the Relay For Life Survivor ceremony. The victory lap symbolizes the courage survivors and their families display in their lives every day. The dinner for the survivors is free.
Some of the laps will include crazy hat lap, team costume parade, pajama lap, silly songs lap and many more. During the entire 18-hour Relay, live bands, such as The Mad Cow Boys, will perform and there will be many activities, including face painting and clowns. Participants can come out and pitch a tent to stay all night or bring their campers. No stakes will be allowed to be placed in the ground, however, but there will be special parking for campers.
"Everybody is welcome," said Kristin Everett, ACS community development director for Kosciusko and LaPorte counties. "Come down and check it out."
The luminaria service is at 9 p.m. Friday. The service is a celebration of life, allowing families, friends and neighbors to come together and honor cancer survivors as well as those who are no longer living. This ceremony allows people to pay tribute to all those who have been touched by cancer. Anyone is invited to purchase a luminaria in honor or memory of an individual who has battled cancer. The luminaria are placed along the walking path and the candles are lit at dusk in a tribute to those who have fought and lost, are currently fighting or have battled and won the cancer fight.
Closing ceremonies are at noon Saturday.
Everett said there is still time for teams and/or persons to join or support the Relay. Teams can be registered up to the opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. Friday. Or people can come out and make donations. Luminaria bags can be purchased by calling Rita Rider at 834-3214, Ext. 30376, or at the Relay up to the time of the ceremony.
"We're always looking for donations and corporate sponsorships," Everett said. The goal this year is to raise $40,000. The Relay already has 25 teams signed up to participate, but Everett said their goal is to have five more sign up. To register a team, call Mary Ann Swoverland at 372-7235.
Teams consist of eight to 10 members and cost is $10 per person. Each participating member will receive a Relay For Life shirt Friday night. The teams also are asked to do any kind of fund- raiser - car wash, bake sale, etc. - between now and Friday to raise money for the ACS. That money and registration forms are due at time of registration Friday.
In addition, at the event, people can purchase bears, cookbooks, shirts or candy bars.
"We're always looking for volunteers to come out for an hour or stay all night with us," said Everett.
ACS mission statement is: "The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy and service."
Everett said all money raised at the Relay will go toward fulfilling the ACS mission statement. With a projection of 1.3 million Americans being diagnosed with cancer this year, and more than 550,000 who will die, the goal, she said, is to help make Kosciusko County cancer-free.
For more information or for the locations of Relays, call the American Cancer Society at 800-ACS-2345, or visit online at www.cancer.org or www.acsrelayforlife.com
"American Cancer Society is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year,"by calling the 800 number, Everett said. "You'll get a live person who is bilingual in Spanish and English."
Persons also can visit the Web site, or cancer survivors can use the survivors network by calling toll-free 877-333-4673.
Donations can be sent to American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 1386, Warsaw, IN 46580.
