Relay for Life starts at 6 p.m. today

The 15th annual Rowan County Relay for Life will kick off at 6 this evening at the Rowan County Fairgrounds on Julian Road.

Survivor registration will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Opening ceremonies will begin at 6 with the presentation of colors by the Rowan County Veterans Council; welcome by Tisha Goodwin, chairwoman of the Rowan Relay for Life Committee; invocation by the Rev. Oliver Helsabeck of Centenary United Methodist Church; Grand Relay recognition; and Survivor Roll Call, during which the names of survivors will be called out as they make the first lap around the fairgrounds led by the Rowan Veterans Council.

Dr. Greg Mitro, Dr. Leon Newman and Nurse Practitioner Doraine Spencer will call out the names of Rowan County survivors after which Relay sponsors will be recognized.

DJ Dana Grubb will provide the music.

The rest of the schedule for the annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society is as follows:

- 6:30 p.m. — K9 demonstration;

- 6:45 — Locks of Love will begin at the main stage and continue in the exhibition hall until 9 p.m.

- 7-8 — Performance by 5:17 Christian Band;

- 8 — Comments by Honorary Chairperson Dr. Judy Grissom, superintendent of the Rowan-Salisbury School System, Kids' Walk and crowning of Little Miss Relay and Little Mr. Relay;

- 8:30-8:45 — Begin lighting luminaries. DJ Dana Grubb will provide music and the East Rowan Drum Line will clear the track in preparation for luminaria ceremony;- 8:45 (dark) — Luminary ceremony will feature survivor speakers Tommy Kimball and Tabitha Smith and "Amazing Grace" sung by Megan Riddle;

- 9:30-12 midnight — Music by DJ Dana Grubb;

- 11 p.m. — Silent auction, basket chance drawings in the exhibition hall;

- 12 midnight- 7 a.m. — Music by DJ L&N Productions;

- 7 — Closing ceremonies begin with final lap and closing message by Tisha Goodwin;

- 8 — All silent auction raffle items to be picked up.

Activities planned for the Relay with the time to be announced include: lawn mower race on the lower track, potato golf, corn hole, homerun derby, scavenger hunt and poker walk. Relay participants may sign up for the games at the information booth.

Goodwin recommended cancer survivors enter Julian Road, where the fairgrounds are located, from Old Concord Road so they can make a right-hand turn into the Survivors Parking Lot. Survivors who are able to walk are asked to park in the regular parking lot and save the survivor spaces for those who have trouble walking.

The theme for this year's Relay for Life is "Celebrating Hope and Heroes."

The goal for this year's Relay for Life is $405,000. Last year, the annual fundraiser raised $402,558.19 for the American Cancer Society, placing third in the state for the amount raised on a per capita basis and 21st in the nation.

Last year, an estimated 10,000 people attended the Relay event.Contact Kathy Chaffin at 704-797-4249.