Steps toward a cure: Relay for Life raises $26.2K

Although the Relay for Life walk concluded Saturday morning, the fight against cancer runs year-round.

The Relay walk was held from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Saturday. The event raised $26,200, co-chair Jennifer Smith said during the closing ceremony. Sharon Wachala is the other co-chair.

'Without you, we cannot beat cancer,' Smith said during the closing ceremony.

So far this year, Relay for Life of Bedford County has raised $146,000 out of a goal of $200,000, organizers said.

Relay raised $166,000 in all last year.

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society's grass-roots fund-raising program. The annual walk is not a race or a run, but more of a festival-like atmosphere in which teams sell concessions and play games in addition to walking. Many Relay teams hold fundraisers throughout the year, not just during the walk.

During the opening ceremony Friday, Dr. Lynette Adams, a cancer survivor, addressed the crowd.

'Relay is an event we wish we didn't have to attend,' Adams said. 'The American Cancer Society is striving toward a world without cancer.'

Every year, the Relay honors local cancer survivors. Speaking of the survivors group, Adams said, 'It is a group I never wanted to join.

'Be thankful for all the good things cancer cannot take from us,' she said.

(Personal video by John I. Carney)