Relay For Life of Rowan County officially closed out 2015 and began to work toward its 2016 goals Oct. 6 with a Big Purple Party and wrap-up.

Announcing the new year’s theme, “Paint the World Purple,” committees and teams that attended the party are enthusiastic about the new Relay year. To kick off fundraising events, there are three on Saturday, Oct. 17 that should interest lots of folks in Rowan County.

The Sweet Potato Queens Relay team will hold their annual Autumn Yard Sale on Saturday, 7 a.m.-noon, at Ursinus United Church of Christ fellowship hall, 118 W. Main St., Rockwell. Browsers and buyers will find clothes, housewares, appliances, toys and games for sale, and all proceeds go to Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society.

At 9 a.m., Friends For Life Relay team hosts the Color Me Pink 5K Run/Walk. Pre-register by Oct. 16 for $25 at relayffL.weebly.com or https://sportoften.com/event/24328/color-me-pink-5k-color-run-walk. Registration on Oct. 17 will be $30. A T-shirt is included in registration. Awards will be given to top male and female overall, and to top two males and females in individual age groups.

At the same time, 9 a.m., vendors will be setting up at Hurley Park on Annandale Drive for Bark For Life, an event for humans and dogs to fight cancer. Pre-registration by Oct. 16 is at www.relayforlife.org/barkrowannc and costs $15 for the first dog and $10 for each additional. On Saturday at 10 a.m., register the first dog for $20 and $10 each additional. Opening ceremony is at 11 a.m., with blessing of the dogs and their owners at noon by the Rev. Kim Trabold of Wittenberg Lutheran Church of Granite Quarry.

The rest of the afternoon will be filled with showing of the dogs, contests, drawings and music by Harley Radio: DJ Bossman Owner. There will be food and snacks for dogs and their owners, along with other items for sale like jewelry, cosmetics, candles, manicure and pedicure nail wraps. Be there for visits by Salisbury Fire Department’s Sparky the fire dog, Chick-fil-A’s Eat Mor Chikin Cow and more.

The American Cancer Society seeks volunteers to drive patients to their treatments through Road to Recovery. Kat Moore has volunteered to be the coordinator in Rowan County. A training session for new volunteers will be held on Oct. 27, 10-11:30 a.m., at Rowan Rescue Squad, Julian Road, but you must RSVP and pre-register to attend the training. Call 704-553-5391 or email carrie.klamut@cancer.org to pre-register and for more information. Donate an hour or more of your time to this cause, and know how much you have helped cancer patients.

Chick-fil-A in Towne Center on East Innes Street sponsors Cookies for Cancer again this year. Fifteen percent of all cookie sales in October will go to Relay For Life of Rowan County.

Also during October, visit the scarecrow exhibit at Carolina Lily, 314 Depot St., and vote for your Relay For Life entry. Votes are $1 and winner takes all.

As always, for information and services of the American Cancer Society, call 1-800-227-2345 or visit www.cancer.org. On Facebook, visit Rowan County Relay For Life; on Twitter @rowanrelaync. 2016 Relay is May 7, 2016, at Rowan County Fairgrounds. Event leads are Tisha Goodwin and Crystal Wagoner.