Relay for Life San Juan County is July 24-25 — Saturday and Sunday — at the Friday Harbor High School track.

Proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society, including programs that directly serve islanders.

Opening ceremonies begin at 3 p.m. July 24, followed by the Survivor Lap. Festivities continue throughout the evening with the Luminaria ceremony beginning at 10 p.m. Participants may come for moments or stay the entire time. Closing ceremonies will be at 9 a.m. Sunday.

“Please join us as we Celebrate, Remember, and Fight Back,” co-chairwoman Christine Minney said. “Registration begins Saturday at noon on the High School Track and anyone can participate. Luminaria bags will be available as well.

“Relay For Life is more than just a fund-raiser. It’s a life-changing experience. At Relay, every person in the community has a chance to celebrate, remember, and fight back. And every person who participates joins others around the globe as part of this worldwide movement to end cancer.”

Last year’s event raised $72,000 for the American Cancer Society. Money raised supports local services, as well as research leading to cures and improved quality of life.

Money raised pays for hotel discounts for islanders who must go to the mainland for treatment; supports Look Good Feel Good, which helps women living with cancer learn special cosmetic techniques to manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer and its treatment; supports Road to Recovery, which provides rides to and from treatment for patients who do not have a ride or are unable to drive themselves; supports Reach to Recovery, a program that matches patients with volunteers — many of whom are cancer survivors — who can provide a measure of comfort, emotional grounding and assistance is making informed health decisions.

Money raised also supports the National Cancer Information Center helpline — 1-800-227-2345. The helpline is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Participants walk in honor of survivors, and light candles in memory of someone who has passed on. Relay teams are comprised of former and current cancer patients, those who have lost a loved one to cancer, as well as families, businesses and civic organizations.

Relay for Life is held in thousands of communities across the United States, including Friday Harbor. Thanks in part to funds raised by Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society has spent about $4 billion in research for a cure. In 1946, 25 percent of cancer patients lived at least five years after diagnosis; today, that rate is 60 percent.

Friday Harbor Mayor Carrie Lacher on July 15 proclaimed July 24-25 “Relay for Life Days” in Friday Harbor.

Here’s her proclamation:

WHEREAS: Relay for Life is a fun-filled overnight event designed to celebrate survivorship and raise money to help the American Cancer Society save lives, help those who have been touched by cancer, and empower individuals to fight back against this disease; and

WHEREAS: During the event, teams of people gather at the Friday Harbor High School track and take turns walking or running laps; and

WHEREAS: Relay for Life is much more than a walk around the track. It is a time to remember those lost to cancer and celebrate those who have survived. When the sun goes down, hundreds of luminaries light the way and a moment of silence falls during the ceremony of hope;

NOW,
THEREFORE, I, Carrie Lacher, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the Town of Friday Harbor, do hereby proclaim that July 24th and 25th, 2010 shall be observed as RELAY FOR LIFE DAYS in the Town of Friday Harbor, and encourage Friday Harbor residents and business owners to help promote awareness of this event.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the Town of Friday Harbor to be affixed this 15th day of July 2010.

________________
Carrie Lacher, Mayor

‘Kiss a Pig’ contest winner
The winner of the Soroptimists’ “Kiss a Pig” Contest will be announced — and will perform the honors — after the opening ceremony.

Soroptimists sold $1 tickets, representing a vote for a potential pig-kisser. The candidate receiving the most votes will win the honor of kissing the pig. The candidates are: Pastor Archie Brooks, King’s Market manager Wes Corey, San Juan County Sheriff Bill Cumming, Friday Harbor Mayor Carrie Lacher, and San Juan Community Theater Executive Director Merritt Olsen.