Centralia, Salem merging for 2021 Relay for Life

Posted By: Withers Syndication
March 4, 2021 @ 1:27 pm
Local News

MARION COUNTY — For over 35 years, communities across the world have come together once a year to honor and remember loved ones lost to cancer.

Relay for Life events are made up of survivors, caregivers, volunteers and participants who believe in a cure someday.

Relay for Life has always been about patients and families affected by cancer. Money raised helps with advocacy, research, 24/7 support for cancer patients, and access to lifesaving screenings, and so much more.

As many of you know, Relay for Life was a little different last year due to COVID-19 and the guidelines that had to be followed. Despite event fundraising goals totaling less than prior years,the passion of volunteers continued to raise in the safest way possible.

Due to the effects of last year’s event cancellations, the American Cancer Society has had to make some difficult decisions on how to move forward with this year’s event.

As a result of the cost-cutting, this year Centralia and Salem’s Relay for Life events will be merge as one event. Centralia and Salem’s committee members are meeting to finalize were this year’s event location will be and how we can do it in a safe way.

Relay for Life may come around once a year, but those who suffer from cancer fight each and every day of their lives. We must fight alongside of them, helping to carry the victory torch and assure them, we are in this together.

Help us make this year’s Relay for Life event a huge comeback! One Relay for Life team uses a slogan to help empower team members and others to never stop fighting, “WE CAN’T ACCEPT NOT TRYING!!! WE DO!!! AND WE ALWAYS WILL!!!

The date for the Relay for Life of Marion County will be Saturday, June 12, 2021. Join a Relay for Life team or start your own team. You can sign up today at www.relayforlife.org/marionIL.

For more information contact Christy Krieg at 618-292-0347 for the Centralia area or Michelle Murphy atiteachfifth2@gmail.com for the Salem area. You can also contact Stephanie at The American Cancer Society via email at stephanie.smith@cancer.org.