Celebrate, remember, fight back: Harlan County Relay for Life slated Friday
Published 10:20 am Friday, June 15, 2018
Chris Jones | Daily Enterprise
The 2018 Harlan County Relay for Life will begin at 6 p.m. on June 15 at Huff Park in downtown Harlan. Here, a participate photographs a luminary honoring a loved one at a previous event. Nearly $21,500 for cancer research and the American Cancer Society was raised at last year’s event. This year’s goal is $50,000.
The annual Relay for Life event is scheduled for Friday, following the Cancer Survivors Dinner which was held on Monday.
The Survivor’s Dinner included all survivors or current warriors and their guests.
The dinner was coordinated by Rax restaurant, according to Kimberly Blanton, Harlan County Relay for Life committee member.
The big event is on Friday at Huff Park. Blanton explained how the events will unfold.
“It’s going to be from 6 p.m. until 2 a.m.,” Blanton said. “Relay for Life is an event where the community comes together to raise money to fight cancer. Harlan County has a goal of $50,000 this year. At the event we recognize the survivors and caregivers…we have music, games for the children, it’s a family-friendly event.”
At 10 p.m., the Luminaria Ceremony takes place.
“That (ceremony) is very touching,” Blanton said.
In addition to the Luminaria Ceremony, the event will feature all sorts of entertainment, including live music from Brooklyn Collins, Laci Deaton and the Big Thunder Kissin’ Radio Band. There will also be an Elvis impersonator contest, guest speakers and games.
“Anybody who wants to join us in kicking cancer’s butt, I encourage them to either get in touch with Liz Couch or any of the other committee members,” Blanton said. “You can form a team. A team can be one person or it can be 50 people. The more people we have fighting, the closer we’re going to be to a cure.”
According to the American Cancer Society’s website at https://secure.acsevents.org, Relay For Life is the signature fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. The events are coordinated and staffed by volunteers in thousands of communities across 27 countries.
