Highland County Relay For Life Is May 22nd

Monterey, VA – Highland county will hold its 5th annual Relay for Life event in support of the American Cancer Society, this Saturday, May 22, from 11 AM to Midnight behind the high school.

It is amazing to think that this worldwide fundraiser started with one man 25 years ago. Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon who also happened to run marathons came up with an event to raise money for his local chapter of the American cancer society. In May, 1985, he spent 24 hours running and walking around a track in Tacoma, Washington. 300 of Dr. Klatt’s friends and sponsors made donations to run or walk with him for 30 minutes. He raised over $27,000 that day.

The Survivor Lunch is at 11am. Anyone else who’d like to participate in the luncheon is respectfully asked to make a free will donation. Other activities such as live music,dancing and karoke will be part of the days’ festivities.

Two community groups have gotten a head-start on the fundraising by holding events earlier in May. A Bowling tournament was held in Franklin, West Virginia last weekend. That event was hosted by the “Spare Change” team from Bluegrass Valley Bank. The “Extinguishers” from the McDowell Fire Dept held their traditional Mothers Day dinner as a fundraiser.

Even the young people in the community are helping with this year’s relay for life. The 4-H Cloverbuds held a yard and bake sale that raised a little over one thousand dollars, according to Hodges.

The Highland County relay is still looking for volunteers to help in future years.
To prevent burn-out, volunteers are asked to serve only 2 years at a time because putting the Relay together is a big job. The 2010 Highland Relay for Life will end with the traditional Luminaria Ceremony at 9pm.