County’s first Relay for Life raises in excess of $7,600
NEW CASTLE – Craig County’s first Relay for Life last weekend raised more than $7,600 to fight cancer and provide services for people with the killer.
About 170 people took part in the relay and camping throughout the night at the Craig County High School track. The event ended at 2 a.m.
Survivors and their caregivers prepare to kick off Craig County's first Relay for Life in the Survivors' Lap on Oct. 21. American Cancer Society photo.
“The outstanding support received proves that the people of Craig County are truly committed to the fight against cancer,” said Kate LeBoeuf, who is the American Cancer Society’s community manager for the Roanoke area and South Atlantic Division.
The money raised by teams, churches, individuals and schools will go to the cancer society’s research, education, advocacy and service programs, she said.
Twenty cancer survivors and their caregivers made their way around the track for the Survivors’ Lap that traditionally opens Relay for Life celebrations.
“They are the reason we continue the fight because each year there can be more and more people living wonderful lives following a diagnosis of cancer,” LeBoeuf said.
She thanked all of the Relay for Life volunteers in Craig who worked so hard to make the event a success.
Committee members who coordinated the Relay were: Jessica Price, Caitlin Huffman, Barbara Thompson, Jamie Lane, Cathy Belcher, Meagan Southworth, Karen Payne, Stacey Fisher, Arlene Forrester-Lafon, Lynn McKee and Craig County Deputy Ken Davis.
Plans are already being made for the second Craig County Relay for Life. A wrap-up meeting will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the Craig-Botetourt Electric Co-op community room at 6:30 p.m.
LeBoeuf said a date would be picked for the 2012 Relay at that meeting.
Fundraising is still going on. At the Craig County Fall Festival earlier this month, Jefferson Lee, the kicker for the Craig County High School Rockets football team, had people sign his pink cleats in memory of those who have survived cancer, as well as those who lost their fight.
At this week’s Craig-Covington football game he will wear the cleats in honor of those people, and donations will be made for every kick.
At the Relay for Life, there was a silent auction for the cleats, with the money going to fight breast cancer, said his mother, Melissa Lee. At the end of the Covington-Craig game, Jefferson planned to present the cleats to the person who had the winning bid.
