CONTRIBUTED TO
THE OBSERVER
LEE COUNTY —
Relay For Life of Lee County, a local volunteer-run event, is coming back strong in 2022, set for Friday, April 29, around the Lee County Courthouse Square in downtown Opelika.
The theme, Roaring Back in 2022, is significant because, for the past two years, Relay has been a virtual event.
“Cancer hasn’t taken one day off in the past few years when other significant health issues have taken the stage,” said Randy Causey, Relay co-chair, along with his wife, Debra, a cancer survivor. “We are excited to be back in downtown Opelika around the courthouse Square and relaying face-to-face.”
It’s not too late to support Relay: donate at www.Relayforlife.org/LeeAL or attend Friday’s event.
The four-hour event will begin at 6 p.m. with local cancer survivors introducing themselves followed by the opening Survivor Walk, and then joined by caregivers joining survivors for a walk to signify that no one fights cancer alone.
During the four-hour event, teams, which will have decorated campsites around the square, will have team members walking.
At 9 p.m., luminaria bags are lit to remember those who are no longer with us as well as honor those fighting. The luminaria walk is the most solemn event of Relay. Bags can be purchased for $5 in advance or the night of Relay.
The public is invited to attend the event, support teams as they continue to raise money with food sales, crafts, a silent auction and a Jail-N-Bail, where citizens can swear out an arrest warrant for a donation and the person arrested has to raise money in an allotted time to be set free.
To date, 32 teams have collected more than $60,000 of the $75,000 goal for the American Cancer Society’s national cancer research initiatives as well as support at the local level, including programs at EAMC’s Spencer Cancer Center.