By Roger White

Battlefords Relay for Life set for June

Mar 7, 2018 | 1:00 PM

The organizing committee of the Battlefords Relay for Life has been busy planning the 2018 relay, which is slated for June 8 at the City Field in North Battleford’s Centennial Park.

Relay for Life is a 12-hour event to raise funds for the Canadian Cancer Society. Since 2002, the Battleford’s Relay for Life has raised more than $1.5 million. New committee co-chairs Connie Jess and Kelly Murdoch said they are hoping to build on that total.

“We’ve seen how big this event can be in the Battlefords,” Jess said. “It is our goal to eventually bring it back close to what it was before.”

After a one-year hiatus, the Battlefords Relay for Life re-launched last June. Through the generosity of the local donors, last year’s relay shattered the goal of $15,000 with a grand total of $36,000.

“It was nice to have it back last year,” Murdoch said. “We did hit a few roadblocks along the way, but thanks to the great work of the committee we were able to pull it off last year with huge results.”

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Having each lost a parent to cancer, both Jess and Murdoch know the importance of the Relay for Life.

“It’s more than just the money raised,” Jess said. “When you see a survivor taking the victory lap and see smiles on a person who is still fighting the disease, that’s when it hits home for me.”

While this year’s plans are still in their infancy, Murdoch said the committee is looking at events and activities that will keep participants more engaged this year.

“We want to keep as many teams around until the very end,” Murdoch said. “We are going to have more things for children to do, plus hourly contests for teams to take part in, especially during the overnight hours.”

Jess said there will be lots of local talent on the mainstage, and food will be available again this year as well.

roger.white@jpbg.ca

On twitter: @RJWtheReporter