2009 American Cancer Society Relay for Life in Southern Illinois

Fighting cancer is an expensive proposition. Volunteers throughout the country as well as in Southern Illinois, are doing their best to battle the disease by raising funds and showing their support for those who have been struck by the dread disease.

Relay Events

The American Cancer Society will be collecting money for cancer treatment and research with Relays for Life being held this year in most if not all Southern Illinois counties. Generally, the Relay for Life starts around 6pm on a Friday evening and runs overnight until 6am the following morning with relay teams walking around the marked track throughout the night.

A ceremony usually starts out the evening, followed immediately by a Cancer Survivors Lap. They are joined on the second lap by caregivers since cancer does affect not just the individual, however catastrophically, but also the entire family. Throughout the night, walkers are supported and enteratined with live music, food and fun activities. Often the teams themselves have amusingly themed campsites.

Raising Funds

Money is raised through pledges collected by the walkers. More is produced through bake sales, yard sales, and similar events. Some of the campsites even have food sales and the like on the night of the event itself.

A common feature of a Relay for Life is the sale of luminaria in honor of someone who lost his or her life to cancer. Paper bags with a candle inside line the marked track that is in use, and a ceremony is held at 9pm during the evening events when the candles are lit.

The Relays for Life have pumped huge amounts of funding towards the cause. Curing cancer is an expensive process and needs all the funding it can get.

Southern Illinois Schedule

Following is this year's schedule of events in Southern Illinois.

Jackson County: April 25 at Carbondale High School Bleyer Field.

Washington County: May 8 at Nashville Grade School parking lot.

Perry County: May 29 at Du Quoin State Fairground.

Randolph County: May 29 at Sparta Community Airport.

Massac County: May 29 at Metropolis High School.

Hardin/Pope counties: June 5 (5pm to 5am) at Hardin County High School in Elizabethtown.

Wabash County: June 5 (7pm to 7am) at Mount Carmel High School.

Jefferson County: June 5 at Mount Vernon Community Airport.

Hamilton County: June 5 at McLeansboro Courthouse Square.

Williamson County, Herrin: June 12, Herrin High School parking lot.

Marion County, Centralia: June 12 (6 p.m. to 8 a.m.) at Centralia Evers Field.

Jackson County, Murphysboro: June 12 at Murphysboro High School.

Saline/Gallatin counties: June 19 at Taylor Field, Harrisburg.

Union County: June 19 at Anna City Park/Fairground.

Franklin County: June 26 at West Frankfort City Park.

Williamson County, Marion: July 10 at Rent One Ballpark.

Johnson County: July 18 (5pm to 5am) Vienna City Park.