Sanders County Relay for Life kicks off

Jamie Doran

Valley Press

The Sanders County Relay for Life organization kicked off their 2009 efforts Saturday evening at the Thompson Falls Senior Center.

Tracey Dean is the organizer this year for the Sanders County Relay for Life events and said she she’s enjoying being in charge for the first time.

“It has been a lot of work, but I have a great group of people behind me helping me with everything,” Dean said. “They make my job very simple.”

She said that the goal was to have 20 people make up the Relay for Life committee and that they have reached that goal with 20 people. However, they welcome any more people who would like to help out.

“We’re still looking for more people,” Dean said. “We could always use people to help with food, set up and team recruitment.”

Prior to the official kickoff event, two teams had already registered with Dean and at the event five more came and signed up.

“Our goal is to reach 25 teams,” she said. “This is the 25th relay and the silver celebration and we’re hoping to raise a minimum of $25,000.”

Publicity coordinator Annie Wooden said that people are welcome to register up until the day of the event, however there are discounts for those teams who choose to register early.

“Tonight the registration fee was $75, then it will be $100 until June 1 and then the entry fee will be $125 after June 1 up until the event which takes place Aug. 7 and 8,” Wooden said.

Relay for Life begins Aug. 7 with the opening ceremony at 7 p.m. and then goes until 10 a.m. on Saturday Aug. 8 at Thompson Falls High School.

Nancy McIntyre attended the event to sign up her first team ever. McIntyre is a three year breast cancer survivor.

“Well, it’s been three years since my hair grew back,” she said with a laugh as she filled out the paper work associated with being a team captain.

McIntyre said that Relay for Life is a great organization and something that everyone should get involved in.

“Cancer touches all of our lives in some way and this is just a great way to help raise money for it,” she said.

Dean agreed with McIntyre.

“You’re doing something for a good cause, how could you pass that up,” she said.

Dean said she got involved in the event around five or six years ago.

“I was just asked to join a team,” she said. “I lost relatives to cancer and so it was very personal for me.”

After the first relay she participated in Dean said that she was absolutely hooked.

“Since that first relay I’ve been in one every year since,” she said. “Although this is my first year heading up the entire thing for Sanders County.”

According to a proclamation by the county commissioners displayed at the kickoff cancer costs in Montana are $650 million a year. There are also 5,000 new cases estimated to occur in Montana in 2009 and an estimated 1,900 Montanans are expected to die from cancer this year.

There were snacks provided at the event as well as music provided by The Valley Strings, a violin group out of Thompson Falls who have been playing together for about the past five years.

Karen Dwyer, a member of The Valley Strings and an active participant in Relay for Life, said the whole opportunity to get involved is great.

“We’re still looking for more peple to help with the committee,” she said. “This is just a fantastic way to get involved in the organization.”