ACS offers new luminaries

By Staff
Melissa Dozier-Cason, FCT staff writer
With the 2007 Relay for Life Kickoff Celebration just around the corner, the American Cancer Society (ACS) recently announced a new luminary available for this year's festivities.
The ACS will be offering the Torch of Hope in addition to the white and gold bag luminaries. The Torch of Hope is available for those who contribute $100 or more to the ACS' Relay for Life, Beth Faulkner, of the ACS, said.
The luminary portion of the Relay is a time of reflection where those who lost their battles with cancer are remembered and honored, Faulkner said.
"Saddle Up for a Cure: Kickoff Celebration" will be Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 6 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Russellville. Belinda Johnson, a breast cancer survivor, will be the speaker for the event, Faulkner said.
"We want all the teams, and those thinking about starting a team, to attend the kickoff," Faulkner said.
Last year's Franklin County Relay for Life raised $112,251 for cancer research. This year's Relay is expected to raise $119,000, Faulkner said.
"We want to raise as much money as possible, and hopefully we will exceed our goal," Faulkner said.
Overall, the American Cancer Society reports that an estimated 24,320 new cancer cases and 10,100 cancer deaths will occur in Alabama this year.