Community Corner

Relay for Life of Lemont-Homer Glen Kicks Off Friday Night

The American Cancer Society fundraiser will take place Friday night through Saturday morning at the Lemont High School Sports Complex.

Hundreds of volunteers and cancer survivors will take to the Lemont High School Sports Complex on Friday night for Lemont-Homer Glen's annual Relay for Life fundraiser.

Relay For Life, which benefits the American Cancer Society, kicks off Friday at 6 p.m. and continues through Saturday morning. Participants form teams, with each team having someone on the path at all times to symbolically show that they don’t sleep—just like cancer.

This year’s event, which takes place at the Lemont High School Sports Complex on Bell Road and 131st Street, currently has 147 registered participants, 18 teams, and $29,073 raised, according to the Relay for Life Lemont-Homer Glen website.

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The night will begin with a survivor’s celebration and victory lap for those who have beat the disease.

There will also be Luminaria bags, which can be purchased for an extra $10. The bags honor those who are battling cancer or who have lost their fight to the disease and are placed around the track and lit during a special ceremony.

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Although most teams are already organized and ready to go, event volunteers emphasize that anyone can come to the event and still watch the opening ceremony or festivities, and it is never too late to join.

For more information, visit http://www.RelayForLifeLemont.com.

Schedule

Noon - Set up begins

4 p.m. - Teams begin arriving and setting up there campsites

6 p.m. - Opening Ceremony

6:20 p.m. - Survivor and Caregiver Lap

6:45 p.m. - Survivor Reception – light dinner and refreshments are served.

Dusk - Luminaria Ceremony

Survivors Lap

During the Survivors Lap, all cancer survivors at the event take the first lap around the track, celebrating their victory over cancer while cheered on by the other participants who line the track. Relay For Life events also recognize and celebrate caregivers, who give time, love and support to their friends, family, neighbors and coworkers facing cancer

Luminaria Ceremony

The Luminaria Ceremony takes place after dark, so participants can remember people we have lost to cancer, honor people who have fought cancer in the past and support those whose fight continues. Candles are lit inside of personalized bags and are placed around the Relay track as glowing tributes to those who’ve been affected by cancer.


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