Relay for Life 2013

Relay for Life Molokai News Release

On Aug. 9 and 10, the American Cancer Society will be holding its seventh annual Relay for Life of Molokai. The effort began in 1985, when one man, Dr. Gordy Klatt, walked, jogged and ran around a track for 24 hours raising money for his local American Cancer Society unit. Today, it’s a worldwide movement to eliminate cancer that now takes place in more than 5,100 communities in the U.S.  and in 20 other countries around the world.

Nearly 4 million people participate in the life-changing event, which raised a total of more than $4 billion to fund the American Cancer Society’s mission. Everyone on Molokai who has been touched by cancer is invited to attend. This team event builds friendship among team members by having fun and raising money for the fight against cancer. It’s the perfect team-building event for any organization.

The event consists of teams who spend 24 hours together in efforts to raise money and fight cancer. Each team has at least one member walking or running the track during the entire event. Relay for Life is about celebrating, remembering and fighting back.

The Society celebrates cancer survivors by inviting all local cancer survivors to start each Relay event. The Survivors Lap honors those who have won their fight against cancer and those who are currently undergoing treatment. The Society remembers all of those touched with cancer with the Luminaria Ceremony after the dusk. The track is lined with luminaria marked with the names of those who
survived and those who lost their battle with cancer.

The Society fights back by raising money for research, education, local patient services, and advocacy. The event is also filled with music, live entertainment, games and other activities. This year, the Relay for Life of Molokai will have games for all, tent decoration contest.

This year’s event is sponsored by Molokai General Hospital, Monsanto of Molokai, Friendly Market Center, Rawlins’ Chevron, Molokai community Federal Credit Union, Molokai Drugstore, Friendly Isle Auto, Mega Enterprise, Molokai Community Health Center, Hotel Molokai, Kualpu`u Ranch and Elsa’s Kitchen.

We hope to raise our $30,000 from this year’s event.  To reach our goal, we need your support!  By forming a team from your company, church, school, neighborhood, etc., you will not only be part of a great community event, but you will raise funds to improve the quality of life for cancer patients today and the outlook for those diagnosed in the future. It’s about being a community that takes up the fight!

If you are interested in learning more about this important event, please call Avette Ponce, event chair for the Relay for Life of Molokai, at 658-0327.