Relay for Life celebrates 10-year anniversary with new events added

WARREN, Ohio - It started with 14 teams at Warren’s Mollenkopf Stadium. Now celebrating it’s 10th anniversary, Trumbull County’s Relay For Life has grown to over 275 teams with five communities hosting events.

And of those initial 14 teams, 10 have participated in every relay.

Liberty was added to the fold last year and Lordstown will have its first event in late August.

Walking dates. Niles will kickoff the local American Cancer Society’s relay season on May 9-10 at the high school. Each relay lasts 24 hours starting at 6 p.m. and one member of each team is on the track walking at all times.

Warren’s event is May 16-17 at Mollenkopf Stadium.

Liberty’s relay is May 30-31 at the high school while Cortland’s is at Lakeview High School on June 6-7.

Lordstown’s first event is Aug. 29-30 at the high school.

For good cause. Last year, Trumbull County raised $772,400 for cancer research, earning the distinction as the No.1 per capita award in the nation with populations between 150,000 and 249,999.

Warren had the largest relay in the state while Liberty has the second largest field among first-year events.

Relay For Life is a unique fundraising event that allows participants from all walks of life, including patients, medical support staff, corporations, civic organizations, religious organizations and community volunteers, to join together to fight cancer.

Each relay opens with a cancer survivor’s walk, run or wheelchair around the first lap. Anyone who has or had cancer is welcome to participating in this emotional opening ceremony.

Participate. Anyone not associated with a team can show up at the survivors tent before 5:30 p.m. and will be given refreshments and a shirt.

They will line up to participate in the opening ceremonies. If they are affiliated with a team, captains can add them to their teams shirt order. They do not have to walk to be with a team.

Celebration. In addition to the opening lap, a luminary celebration is held. Each luminary represents a loved one who either has cancer or has died from it.

The cost is $5 and must be turned in a week before the respective relay.

Forms can be obtained on the Web at www.trumbullrelayforlife.com or from the any team captain or by calling the office at 330-841-4970.

In conjunction. At the Warren relay, Outback Steakhouse will feed participating survivors after the opening lap May 16.

In addition, the Warren Harding band will be making pancakes for the survivors May 17 from 6-11 a.m.

Also at the Warren relay, a 1957 Ford Thunderbird Hardtop Convertible is being raffled off May 17 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $10 or 3 for $25.

Call the Trumbull County cancer society office at 330-841-4970 for more information.