Staff report
Don’t forget Rowan County’s 14th annual Relay for Life coming up this Friday at the fairgrounds.
Though gates will open at 9 a.m. for setup, the all-night fundraiser will officially kick off at 6 p.m. and last through the 8 a.m. closing ceremonies and final lap on Saturday.
Cancer survivors may begin registering at the Survivors Tent at 4:30 to participate in the Survivor Roll Call. The Relay for Life Committee is hoping for a record turnout of the estimated 4,500 cancer survivors in the county so Rowan can claim the Pack the Track Award for having the highest percentage of survivor participation.
Last year, only about 350 or around 8 percent of the county’s cancer survivors participated in the 6 p.m. roll call, during which they walk the opening lap of Relay while their names are read. Golf carts are available for any survivors unable to walk the lap.
The evening will begin with the presentation of colors by Don Webb (Army, Desert Storm), J.C. Beaver (Army, World War II), Gregg Evans (Air Force, retired), Buddy Kyles (Army, Vietnam) and Roy Morris (Army, Korea). Tisha Goodwin, who heads up the Rowan Relay for Life Committee, will follow with the welcome.
Martha Corriher, president of Landis Unit 146 of the American Legion Auxiliary, will sing the National Anthem, after which Greg Yeager of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church will give the invocation.
The East Rowan Drum Line will lead the Survivors Lap with the roll call to be read by Dr. William Brinkley of Carolina Oncology, Dr. Greg Mitro of Rowan Regional Radiology Oncology, Dr. David Hall of Carolina Women’s Health and David Whisenant of WBTV news.
This will be followed by the Survivors/Caregivers Walk and Balloon Release and the Team Roll Call by Marsha Wall and Beth Atkinson of the Food Lion Business Women’s Resource Group.
Afterward, at least one member of the more than 70 teams registered to participate so far will be walking or running on the track at all times.
Scheduled for 7 to 8:15 are the sponsor recognition, Locks of Love by Becky Sifford and music by Sound Sensations DJ Service.
From 8:15 to 8:45, the Thankful Singers of Corriher Heights Baptist Church will perform. Members are Lori Moon, Julie Moon, Chrystal Goodman, April Banks and Candi Profit.
At 8:45, the Carson High Drum Line will circle the track to stop all activity and silence the crowd. Everyone will then be asked to gather around the sound stage for the 9 p.m. Luminary Service for which trumpeter Mark Shue will play Amazing Grace.
Survivors scheduled to speak are Vanessa Hampton and 14-year-old Savannah Hinson, who will be accompanied by her mother, Emily.
Activities will resume after the Luminary Service and continue throughout the night. Music will be provided by Sound Sensations DJ Service until 10 p.m., when Divided by Four, which plays R&B, Motown, oldies and soul music, will perform for two hours.
At midnight, Mad Rooster, which plays classic rock music, will perform, after which one of the DJ services will provide music throughout the rest of the event.
The Relay for Life will end after the 8 a.m. closing ceremonies and final lap.
Luminaries are available for purchase from members of the Relay for Life Committee or teams for $10 and may be designated in honor of a cancer survivor or in memory of someone who has died from the disease. People who buy the bags in advance will have the opportunity to decorate them.
The theme for this year’s fundraiser is “Racing for Relay.” Among the scheduled events is a lawn mower race. Teams and other participants will be selling food and drinks throughout the event.
This year, the Relay for Life Committee hopes to raise $400,000 for the annual American Cancer Society fundraiser. Events are also held throughout the year to raise money for cancer research, services for cancer patients and resources for survivors.
For more information on this year’s Relay, call Brooke Moose, senior community manager for the American Cancer Society, at 704-675-5082 or e-mail Tisha Goodwin at tishgood07@yahoo.com.
For more information on Relay for Life and how donations are used, log onto www.cancer.org or call 1-800-ACS-2345.Contact Kathy Chaffin at 704-797-4249 or kchaffin@salisburypost.com.