(Posted June 5, 2018)
By Kristy Zurbrick, Madison Editor
The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is a unique event for which people form teams, spend months raising funds, then all come together one night in a show of solidarity in the fight for a world without cancer.
This year, Madison and Union counties have joined forces to present the 2018 Relay celebration and remembrance, set for 6 p.m.-midnight June 9 at the Jonathan Alder High School track, 9200 U.S. Rte. 42 S., Plain City. The public is invited to attend. Admission is free.
“It’s our first time at Jonathan Alder and our first time as a two-county event,” said Cory Sickles, chair of Madison County’s recent Relays. He is co-chairing this year with Anne Crabtree, who has headed up Union County’s recent Relays.
“The Madison County Relay used to be the Friday before Father’s Day. We changed that, and we switched from a Friday–when it’s hard for people to get off work and get to the event–to a Saturday,” Sickles added.
The evening will feature food trucks, a deejay, a bounce house, family-friendly activities, games, prizes and a silent auction. All the while, team members will take turns walking laps around the track.
The always popular Miss Relay contest is part of the evening’s entertainment line-up. Teams choose a male participant and doll him up in a dress to compete for the title of Miss Relay for Life. Relay attendees vote for their favorites. Each vote is 25 cents. The entrant with the most quarters in his bucket wins.
Another fun feature is the Road to Recovery Challenge, named for the American Cancer Society program that helps patients with transportation to and from doctor appointments. For Relay, teams are invited to build “cars” out anything they like, as long as no motors are involved, then push, pull or carry them through an obstacle course. The creations will be on display starting at 5:30. The race is at 7:30. Relay visitors will vote for their favorites by making donations. The car that raises the most money wins best of show.
At 10 p.m., the laps, music, and party atmosphere pause for the luminaria ceremony. Candles are lit around the track, and the names of cancer survivors, those fighting cancer, and those who have passed on are read over the public announcement system. Luminarias can be purchased before Relay or the night of Relay and decorated in someone’s honor or memory.
This year’s Relay sponsors are Buckeye Realty Group, Chaney & Thomas Insurance, HealthCare Logistics, Honda of North America, Jefferson Industries Corp., IBEW Local 71, Kronk & Scaggs Insurance, The Ohio State University, Safe Harbor Retirement Group, Sheely Ag Service, Timothy Stonecipher
Go to relayforlife.org/madisoncounty for details.
Schedule of events
Saturday, June 9
3-5:45 – Team check-in (registration, campsite set-up, drop off silent auction items)
5:00 – Survivor registration begins
5:30 – Road to Recovery cars in designated area
6:00 – Opening ceremonies (survivor lap, caregiver lap, team lap)
6-8:30 – Silent auction (must be present to win)
Following open lap – Survivor dinner inside the high school
All evening – Scavenger hunt
7:00 – Workout lap
7:30-8 – Road to Recovery Challenge
8-8:30 – Miss Relay contest
9:00 – Balloon pop lap
9:30 – Scrabble lap
10:00 – Luminaria ceremony
11:00 – Frozen t-shirt contest
11:30 – Closing ceremonies
