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Relay For Life of Milford kickoff and signup party set Jan. 10

January 2, 2017

The Relay For Life of Milford organizing committee will host a kickoff party and team signup event at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 10, at the Rookery North in Milford. The committee, co-led by Ellen Hall and Connie Pusey, has begun planning the 20th relay for Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17.

Gary Scofield will speak upon his experience in dealing with cancer in his family. Those interested in signing up a team and those wanting more information are encouraged to attend along with current and potential team members. Over the span of 20 years, many teams have walked to help raise funds to fight cancer. This year is no different; however, it has an even more special meaning with the fact the movement is celebrating 20 years in Milford and surrounding communities.

The committee encourages all past teams to sign up and walk in memory of loved ones and survivors, and hopes new teams will sign up as well. Family members and friends, co-workers and/or company-sponsored teams ask for contributions to reach the team's fundraising goal. A Relay for Life app assists team members on the go and helps to request contributions from relatives and friends who might not live close by.

The night of the Relay For Life, team members take turns walking the track in support of the fundraiser and share their goal accomplishments with other teams. It is also a time to remember those who have lost the battle and rejoice for the survivors. The evening will be full of activities until the next morning at 6 a.m. The community is encouraged to attend the festivities and participate by walking with a friend, co-worker or family member in support. Food, disc jockeys and special programming will round out the evening.

"Since it is the 20th anniversary, we are adding some special activities and entertainment to the programming," said Hall. "We have also asked returning teams to select a theme from previous years as their team's theme." In previous years, a theme was decided upon for the year and each team dressed themselves and their booth space for the night based on the theme. Since this is a special year, the organizing committee decided to open the theme choices for each individual team.

Businesses and corporations are also requested by various teams to offer contributions in preparation for the relay and to help teams meet their goals. A true community spirit can be witnessed leading up to the event by viewing social media, seeing the Relay For Life sign in business windows, yard signs in corporate entrances and hearing about the teams' fundraising efforts. Some teams even hold individual events to help raise funds toward their goals, such as pancake breakfasts, yard sales, specialty products sales or even a dance party. Contributions are tax deductible under the federal guidelines for 501c3 organizations. The community is invited each year to attend the Relay night where teams also have food and items for sale, survivors are recognized and passed loved ones are remembered.

"This year's relay goal is to raise more than $40,000. Our teams are from surrounding communities too, not just Milford. We encourage teams to be formed in Milton, Ellendale, Frederica, Houston and even teams not associated with one particular community but as families, as well,” said Pusey. Together, over the past 20 years, Relay For Life of Milford has successfully raised more than $600,000 for cancer initiatives to find new medicines, research efforts for a cure and new therapies.

Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Relay is staffed and coordinated by volunteers in more than 5,200 communities and 20 countries. Volunteers give of their time and effort because they believe it's time to take action against cancer.

For more information, contact a member of the organizing committee or follow Relay For Life Milford on Facebook.

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