Relay for Life: An annual celebration
By By Penny Randall / staff writer
June 7, 2002
Thousands of people will join together in celebration of life tonight during Lauderdale County's annual all-night walk-a-thon the Relay for Life.
Relay for Life is a nationwide fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society. It honors those who have won their battles with cancer, those who are still struggling and those who have died of the disease.
Brenda Compton, manager of the Cancer Center at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center, said she is involved because of the impact cancer patients have made in her life.
"The people I come in contact with every day have made a profound effect on my life. Sometimes you find the miraculous experience in the strangest places," she said.
"I help raise money from my heart and for the people who walk through these doors. It's more than a fund-raiser for me I do it from my heart."
Relay for Life kicks off tonight at 7 p.m. at Meridian High School's Ray Stadium. The Survivor's Lap begins at 7:20 p.m., followed by the parade of teams at 7:30 p.m. This year, there are 133 teams.
Entertainment for the evening includes the band Rubber Soul, which will take the stage at 8 p.m. A Luminary Service begins at 10 p.m., followed by the band Cabana at 11 p.m.
The closing ceremony will be at 5 a.m. Saturday morning.
Here are some of the teams, activities and special concessions planned:
Alliance Health Center Homemade ice cream, face painting, balloons and bean bag toss
AmSouth Bank Cotton candy
Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center Popcorn
Angie's Acmy Outback chicken sandwiches
Aquarium Magic Beta fish and raffle
BankPlus Go fish, pie in the face
Calvary Baptist Church Popcorn and cotton candy
Camie's Crusaders Tickets for a mount at David's Taxidermy and hunter's goodie bucket
Central Baptist Church Ring toss
Central United Methodist Church Popcorn
Cingular Wireless Nachos and face-painting
Community Bank Raffle for $500 cash, DVD player, camera and The Rustler gift certificate
Dusty's Face-painting
Faith Soldiers/Soldiers of Faith Hog dogs, hamburgers, sausage dogs, water, cake and sodas
Final Touch Beauty School Hair cut-a-thon
First Baptist Church Catfish plates and face-painting
Fleming, Robinson, Parker and Goforth Raffle
Freedom Rock Fish sandwiches
Highland Baptist Church Selling balloons
Jonathan Mars Team Raffle and coloring contest
Kemper Group Sausage dogs meal
Long Distribution Frozen fruit and slush drinks
McRae's Hamburgers, fruit on a stick at midnight and a raffle
Mississippi Power Company Bucket truck rides
Meridian Coke-Cola Hamburgers, chili pies, T-shirts, beach towels
Meridian Medical Associates Raffles, Harry Mayer $1,000 gift certificate
Miska's Militia Homemade pie by the slice, basket raffle
Mississippi Cosmetic Surgery Bean bag toss, cokes, chips and candy
Northcrest Church Glo necklaces, raffle for a quilt, $500 Rhonda's Connection gift certificate
Northeast Digging for tattoos
Poplar Springs Drive United Methodist Church Little Caesar's Pizza by the slice
Riley Hospital Coloring contest, bingo, raffle Father's Day cooler
Super Stop Sumo wrestling (pictures included), boiled peanuts, water, Gatorade, sodas
The Radio People Rock climbing wall
United Blood Services Hamburgers, hot dogs, drinks, raffle
Weems Raffle gift certificate from The Sun Room, hot dogs, nachos and popcorn
