Early-bird registration for the 2011 Relay for Life, offering teams a reduced rate on the registration fee for the June 24 to 25 event in Squamish, wraps up on Monday (Jan. 31).
Organizers of the local installment of the Canadian Cancer Society's fundraising and awareness-raising event kicked off early registration on Jan. 15 and while the group would have liked a better showing for the opening, there is still plenty of time to take part in the event.
Three teams signed up at the early registration kick-off event, bringing the number of teams registered to 16. The kick off event at Brennan Park featured a bouncy castle, kids' crafts and live music by the Lynn Canyon bluegrass band.
Registrants have only a short time to take advantage of the reduced rate of $10.
"We are encouraging past participants, new participants, cancer survivors and anyone else in the community to get involved with the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay For Life," said Diana Beglaw, International Relay For Life Hero of Hope and pancreatic cancer survivor. "You can sign up as an individual, a team captain or as a team member - everyone is welcome."
Last year's event in Squamish helped raise $147,000 for cancer research and saw 39 teams take part. More than 350 participants spent 12 hours walking, running and dancing around Brennan Park. Three teams raised more than $10,000 each and Pemberton's The Good, The Bad and The Bubbly won top honours by raising more than $14,000. Local organizer Tamsyn Jenkins hopes to mirror last year's results.
"Relay isn't an athletic event," Jenkins said, adding that she is hoping for 35 to 40 teams for this year's event. "It's a fun, non-competitive and fulfilling experience that brings together family, friends, co-workers and communities."
The Canadian Cancer Society's Relay For Life is a unique opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones and fight back against all forms of cancer. Each year more than 400 communities nationwide come together to fight back, supporting the largest cancer fundraiser in Canada. In British Columbia and the Yukon, more than 50 communities participate.
Since 1998, Relay For Life has raised more than $51 million for the fight against cancer. Last year in B.C. and the Yukon, the event raised more than $5 million for the Canadian Cancer Society.
The 2011 Relay for Life is scheduled to take place on Friday, June 24 at the Brennan Park all-weather fields starting at 7 p.m. and lasting until Saturday, June 25, at 7 a.m.
For more information on the Squamish Relay for Life visit, www.relaybc.ca/squamish.
