Relay for Life kickoff party Monday at Palmetto Pine Country Club
Organizers for the 2010 Relay For Life, “Relay Royal – Ante Up For a Cure,” will host a kickoff party Monday, Oct. 25, at Palmetto Pine Country Club.
This year marks the 10th year that Relay For Life has been held in Cape Coral. Each year the event features a different theme to help the teams, sponsors and volunteers get creative while planning for their fund-raisers and campsites at the event in May. This year the theme will feature Las Vegas.
“We have some great things planned for this year’s Relay For Life like a midnight poker tournament, local bands and, of course, our Mz. Relay Beauty Pageant,” event chair Donna Germain said. “Elvis may also be making an appearance at relay.”
The kickoff party will be held Oct. 25 from 6-8 p.m. and will feature food, drinks, entertainment and a guest speaker.
“Everyone is welcome — new teams, returning teams, survivors, caregivers or anyone who would just like to learn a little more about Relay For Life,” she said.
The guest speaker for this year’s kick off party will be Ida S. Baker High School Principal Melissa Robery, who is the honorary survivor chair for the 2011 Relay For Life of Cape Coral.
“We will also be having a special luminaria ceremony to honor those fighting cancer, and remember those who we have lost,” Germain said.
The team registration fee of $100 can be paid during the kick-off party. Germain said teams that bring a new team and pays the new team’s $100 commitment fee Monday night will be entered into a drawing for a free 10-foot X 10-foot tent complete with set-up and break-down the day of the event. A team challenger jacket will also be provided.
“Our goal is to have 70 teams participate in this year’s event,” Germain said. “We already have 15 signed up.”
The 2011 Relay For Life will be held at Ida. S. Baker High School on May 14 and 15. The opening ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. on Saturday with the closing ceremony at 9 a.m. on Sunday.
She said those who cannot attend the event, but want to participate, are welcome to become an online/virtual team.
“Last year our event raised more than $147,000 for the fight against cancer and we hope to raise even more money this year,” Germain said. “We were also honored as a Top 25 Relay For Life in the state of Florida for the 2010 Relay For Life.”
Palmetto Pine Country Club is located at 1949 S.W. 9th Court.
For information about the Cape Coral Relay For Life, visit www.relayforlife.org/capecoralfl or call Donna Germain or Nickole Hendra at 239-936-1113.
Relay For Life began in 1985 because a single person wanted to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Dr. Gordy Klatt, a surgeon from Tacoma, Wash., walked and ran around a track for 24 hours. Since then the event has grown to more than 3.5 million people participating in more than 5,000 communities in the United States, along with 19 other countries every year.