Fourth annual Relay for Life under way with $200,000 goal

Relay for Life staff advisor Matthew DelGrosso with the new Scratch & Give tickets fundraisers will be using this year. Each spot on the ticket is valued at $1, $5 or $10. People who would like to contribute may scratch a spot to determine their contribution. The maximum card value is $100.

Team captains, survivors, caregivers and sponsors kicked off Prince Edward County’s fourth annual Canadian Cancer Society Relay For Life event and set a fundraising goal of $200,000 for the Friday, June 7 event at the Picton fairgrounds.
Event co-chairs Barb Guernsey and Tina Rutgers reviewed the highlights of the 2012 event which raised $235,000.
Last year there were 68 teams and 88 survivors.
“This year we hope to raise $200,000 with 74 teams, 100 survivors and 1,400 luminaries.”

In 2012, more than 17,265 teams raised $51 million during the 12-hour overnight inspirational fundraising Relay for Life events.

Karen White, president of the local Cancer Society Unit explained the society’s advocacy goals – including the current drive to ban indoor tanning for teenagers.
She also spoke of the “power of one” video (see below) and how fundraising grows exponentially just by adding one more donation, one more luminary, one more person to celebrate.
“Each one of you has the power to make a difference,” she said. “And one day, no Canadian need fear cancer.”

The co-chairs thanked everybody for coming to the kick-off breakfast and thanked the many sponsors who have already come on board – including Scotiabank Picton, Sobeys, The Co-Operators, Picton Home Hardware, The County of Prince Edward, Black River Tree Service, Giant Tiger, Picton Rotary, 95.5 Hits FM, The Picton Gazette and Countylive.ca