Let the games begin!
The Carter County Relay for Life will make Elizabethton High School’s track its own game board of sorts tomorrow.
The objective of the game? Finding and funding a cure for cancer.
Inspired by the ongoing Carteropoly fundraiser, this year’s Relay theme is “Game On Cancer,” Carter County Relay for Life Community Manager Amy Hopson said.
“That will be a huge fundraiser for us, but we thought this would be a good way to remind folks to get involved,” she said.
Carter County Relay teams really took the theme and ran with it.
“Each team really tried to base their camps around the theme,” Hopson said.
Some teams have incorporated board games, sports games and video games into their individual camp themes.
“They are all very interesting and some very creative people are involved,” Hopson said. “Carter County teams are really dedicated to making sure there is someone walking at all times.”
Kathy Thomason, who is in charge of the Relay’s team development, was excited to share all of the interesting ways teams chose to generate funding.
The teams include, but are not limited to: Wards’ Warriors, who will be selling nachos with chili and cheese, deserts and will have a kissing booth; Team Faithful Family and Friends, who will have Papa Johns pizza and homemade deserts; The Oak Street Baptist Prayer Warriors will have lap beads available; The Big Team will host a game of skill to win a quilt; Team Lisa will have funnel cakes, snow cones, Chick-Fil-A and Krispy Kreme donuts; The Cancer Crushers will make hamburgers and homemade strawberry shortcake; The Silver Angels will have glow sticks, snow cones, homemade goodies and information about Silver Angels available; Kenametal will be selling hot dogs, chips, drinks and will have raffle baskets; The Health Department will be selling apples, oranges, bananas and water; Life Care will have funnel cakes, fried foods and a bouncy house for children; Donna’s Dream Team will make biscuits and gravy and will be selling breast cancer merchandise; The Pink Warriors will have sausages with green peppers and onions as well as hot dogs; NCI Cancer Stompers will host a dunk tank and have snacks available.
Some of the other teams participating include Walmart, Valley Forge Freewill Baptist, Moose Lodge, Walgreens, Fairview Baptist and Valley Forge Christian.
Other activities include face painting, silent auctions, a corn hole tournament, as well as a special visit from Elsa of “Frozen.”
The opening ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. The first lap, which is traditionally for survivors, will be at 7 p.m.
“Relay is our way to really recognize those who have and are battling cancer,” Hopson said. “It’s a great way for the community to show its support for neighbors, family and friends.”
The event also aims to lift up those who have had to or are watching a loved one go through the cancer process. Therefore, a lap recognizing caregivers will follow the survivor lap, Hopson said.
“We really encourage all caregivers to come out for that lap,” she said.
A Glow Run 5k, which involves runners donning glow sticks, is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m.
“This is an activity that started last year to try to draw people into the Relay event,” Hopson said. “It was very successful. People were coming from hours away to run in it.”
Even though pre-registration is over, Hopson said the race is open to the public and participants may register the day of the event. The race costs $15.
Activities like a cake walk and the child-friendly version of a wet T-shirt contest may also find their way onto the track, Hopson said.
“The teams playing the wet T-shirt game will soak T-shirts in water and carry them across the way and wring them out to see who fills up a bucket the quickest,” Hopson said. “We really just try to keep people entertained and active the whole time.”
Live music will start at 5 p.m. with bluegrass and gospel group Third Day Resurrection. Other musical acts include
The classic rock group called 5ivmor will play at 6 p.m. After the ceremonies, the Christi Walsh Dance Team and the Trail Blazer Cloggers will perform.
The men’s choral group Phillipi Band will begin their set at 9 p.m. Following the lighting of luminaries at 10 p.m., two contemporary Christian bands Soul Obsession and Jeffery + Christy Dills will play.
Alternative rock group Blue Carpet Corner will take over musical entertainment from midnight until about 2 a.m.
Hopson boasts the event’s family-friendly atmosphere.
“We encourage families to come out regardless of their level of involvement in Relay for Life,” Hopson said. “It’s a free event and we have lots of options for families to have some fun.”
Thomason would really love to see the event generate enough funds to finally have a cure for cancer. While the world is waiting, she said the event helps promote hope.
“Cancer is not a death sentence,” she said. “Early detection is key and we have more people surviving than ever before. We want to spread a ray of hope to all those battling this terrible disease. We stand with them and want them to be able to get the most help and best treatment possible. We would love to not have to do this again next year because we have found the cure.”
For more information, visit the Carter County Relay For Life Facebook page at RelayForLife.org/cartertn.