Relay Around the World

    COUNTY – Shelby County’s nationally-recognized Relay for Life fundraising event for cancer research and education has been re-imagined this year with a shorter, health-conscious program scheduled at Merrill Field in Harlan Saturday, Sept. 18.
    Following a COVID-19 year that saw Shelby County go all-virtual, and similar fundraisers cancelled or moved virtual throughout the nation, the American Cancer Society saw its total funding drop significantly, which led to a direct 50 percent staff reduction across the board.
    Reduced donations have a direct impact on many communities and every area of the American Cancer Society, said Suzanne Mages, senior development manager with the ACS, North Region.
    “Our mission depends directly on the funds raised,” she said.  “Without fundraising events, support of research grants cannot be funded to ensure that the progress continues leading to new forms of screening and early detection, new treatment methods, medications, prevention, and life after cancer and education.”
    Support programs like Hope Lodge, Road to Recovery, and Reach to Recovery, which are used locally and benefit patients and their families right her in Shelby County, become limited.
    “Without funds raised we cannot staff events, programs, and research like we have in years past,” she said.
    Fortunately, Shelby County continues to lead the way in fundraising, consistently among the top five nationwide, and the COVID-19 year was no exception.  With a goal of $100,000 annually, virtual fundraising in Shelby County raised $88,000 last year.
    The planned event went to a virtual format after the March shutdown, but most of the sponsorships were already secured as the Coaches vs. Cancer games at Harlan Community High School and the February dinner had already taken place.
    “We were able to have some strong Facebook® fundraisers, and collected donations from supporters helping us get that close to our goal,” Mages said.
    This year’s goal is also $100,000, and although the program will be much shorter, expectations are to meet that goal again in 2021.  After all, it’s the 25th anniversary of Relay for Life in Shelby County.
    “Twenty-five years for any event is hard to fathom,” said Mages, “and we are so grateful that we have been a strong event for the last 25 years.
    “We are so disappointed that our event this year has to be re-imagined to comply with the pandemic precautions as we really wanted to have a huge birthday party to celebrate this major milestone.
    “Maybe we can have a ’25 Again’ party next year.”
    For the past 10 years, with the exception of last year, Shelby County has been a nationally ranked event placing in the top two for fundraising for five of those years, and always in the top five.
    “This is a major and rare accomplishment, and something the committee is very proud of and hopefully the communities are too,” Mages said.

Full article in the NA.