Relay For Life, June 3-4

RUMFORD -- Relay For Life, an American Cancer Society signature event, will take place June 3-4 at Hosmer Field. “Sports” is this year's theme as they are celebrating 14 years of Relay in the River Valley area.

The event will start at 4:30 p.m. with the survivor’s reception followed at 5:50 p.m. with the presentation of the Shirley Comeau Memorial and the Courage Award. At 6 p.m., the opening ceremony will take place, followed by the National Anthem. The survivors lap around the track will kick things off. Area firefighters and the Knights of Columbus will escort the survivors on the first lap. Right before the survivors start their walk, their caregivers will place a medal on the individual to signify that this individual is a cancer survivor. Survivors, please make sure that you have a caregiver with you for this walk.

The team spirit parade takes place at 7 p.m. All the teams parade around the track with their banners and props in celebration of their participation of this worth-while event.

At 9:30 p.m. is the Luminary ceremony. Luminary bags are placed around the track and are lit honoring survivors who have fought the battle of cancer and to loved ones who have lost their battle to cancer. After the blessing is given, Denise Hurd will perform on the bagpipes. The lights are turned off and the names are read from which the luminaries are dedicated to. This is a very emotional ceremony as family and friends gather to honor their loved ones.

Activities take place throughout the night and into the next day as the teams spend the night at the track walking in memory or in honor of their loved ones.

At 11 a.m., all raffles will be drawn and the winners are announced and the teams start tearing down their tents. The close of the relay follows at noon after the Hole-in-One golf ball drop. Numbered balls will drop from high in the sky by a crane and the ball that drops into the hole will be the winner. The person who has the ball number that dropped into the hole, if present will win $1,000. If no ball drops into the hole, than the ball closest to the hole will be the winner and that person will win $500.

The Ride For Life – a motorcycle ride starting at L/A Harley Davidson in Lewiston and ending at the Hosmer Field Complex, will finish off the relay on Saturday. Motorcycles will depart at 11 a.m. and the first bike will arrive at noon at the Hosmer Field Complex.

Relay For Life is a signature event for the American Cancer Society and all the proceeds of this event at Hosmer Field will stay in Oxford County to help families and friends battling this disease.

For more information on how you can participate in this worth-while cause, contact Diane Mitchell at 364-8358, or Mac Watts at 1-800-464-3102, press 3.