Relay organizers recall past successes, reach for higher goals

By By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
March 4, 2004
Announcing this year's theme as "Relay for Life 10-year Reunion," Betty Lou Jones, publicity chairman for the event, thanked people and businesses for their support Wednesday.
Sponsorship signs with the Relay for Life logo were passed out by Neil Henry, this year's sponsorship chairman. The signs will be posted outside businesses sponsoring the local fund-raiser that has raised more than $2.5 million for the American Cancer Society over the past 10 years.
The money is raised by Relay for Life teams that organize fund-raising events, leading up to an all-night event at Meridian High School's Ray Stadium, scheduled this year for June 11.
The local Relay for Life has been the top-ranked event in the Mid-South Division of the American Cancer Society for many years and also has received national recognition.
Becky Vance, this year's Relay chairman, said goals for this year's event include raising $400,000 and organizing a minimum of 130 teams.
The first team captains' meeting is scheduled for today at 5:30 p.m. in the the private dinning room at Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center. Relay for Life team meetings are scheduled for April 1 and 22, May 20, and June 3, also to be held in the dining room at Jeff Anderson.
Although Relay for Life turns 10 years old this year in Lauderdale County, the fund-raising campaign began nationally in 1985. Now it is a worldwide campaign that last year surpassed $1 billion in contributions for the American Cancer Society.
For information, call event chairman Becky Vance at 483-3073.