Ritzville Relay for Life kicks off next week

The annual Ritzville Relay For Life event kicks off at the Ritzville Rodeo Grounds next Friday, July 12, for an evening of walking for a cause and raising funds for cancer research. The event lasts from 6 p.m. on Friday evening until 9 a.m. the morning of July 13.

Relay For Life is an event hosted through the American Cancer Society (ACS) and serves as a local fundraiser to support the efforts of ACS to find a cure for cancer.

All funds are donated to ACS to provide assistance with cancer research and providing resources to cancer patients.

The Ritzville Relay committee is hosting a Bank Night on Monday, July 8, to collect donations and answer final questions from participants. Bank Night is held in the conference room at the Best Western Plus Bronco Inn at 6 p.m. and is open to the public.

The committee will also be discussing the schedule of the Relay event and passing out t-shirts to registered participants. All team captains are encouraged to attend to pick up t-shirts for their team members.

The Ritzville Relay For Life event is open to the public, and individuals do not have to be registered to participate. The night begins with a Survivors Dinner in the Knuth Building for any cancer survivor interested in attending.

Mike Telecky is preparing the meal, and any survivor wishing to attend is asked to contact Katelin Davidson to make reservations. Survivors also receive t-shirts and are encouraged to walk in the survivor’s lap at the beginning of the Relay event.

The local color guard is presenting the colors for the start of the Relay event, and are followed by the survivors to kick off the evening’s festivities. The teams will make their lap as part of the opening ceremonies before the official start of the event.

The remainder of the night is spent playing a variety of games to keep the event upbeat and energized. After dusk, the luminaria ceremony highlights the evening’s activities by remembering those who have lost the battle to cancer and celebrating those who have survived the terrible disease.

In the evening hours, live music will be provided by a variety of local entertainers including the Garrett Bartley Band.

For more information about the Ritzville Relay For Life event, contact Davidson at 659-1020 or visit http://relayforlife.org.ritzvillewa.