Relay for Life helps Cancer Society

Teams will battle together against cancer at the Relay For Life of Vancouver and West Clark County, now in its 23rd year. From 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday, participants will converge on Columbia River High School and walk around the track.

Angela Dockum, event co-chairwoman, said the goal this year is to raise $275,000. Each team will raise money in their own way. Some ideas are out of the box. One team at the Rose Parade sold bracelets that allowed private use of a clean portable toilet.

About 151 teams and around 1,200 participants are registered. On average, the event has 1,400 participants, including about 400 cancer survivors.

The Relay For Life is held overnight. The goal is to have one member from each team be on the school track walking at all times. The groups and individuals can camp out during the event while their not walking.

The event is a way for those who have lost loved ones to cancer, who know someone with cancer or who know a survivor to fight against it. All of the money raised goes to the American Cancer Society, which is trying to find a cure and help those who have it.

At 11 p.m. Saturday, there will be a luminaria ceremony on the track. Participants gather in a circle and hold glowing luminaria, or small paper lanterns, featuring the name of someone who had or has cancer to honor the community’s cancer survivors and remember those who have died.

For more information about this year’s Relay For Life or to donate, visit http://www.vancouverrelay.org.