Block Party promotes healthy living, raises funds for Ritzville Relay For Life

The Grateful to be Alive Block Party on July 12 serves as an opportunity for three businesses to show appreciation for their customers, and a time for the community to celebrate being alive and healthy.

The event runs from 1-6 p.m. at Jimmie Snider Field, and is hosted by Hometown Family Medicine, Ritzville Drug Company and The Ritzville Adams County Journal.

The Block Party serves as a fundraiser for the Relay For Life of Ritzville event, which it is being held in conjunction with this year. Relay For Life runs from noon until midnight on Saturday.

Mike Telecky and a group of volunteers are barbecuing a variety of foods to appeal to all ages.

Food provided at the Block Party includes chicken and sausage, and side salads and snacks. Water is provided free of charge for those in attendance.

Youth have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of games, with prizes awarded at the majority of the activities. Tickets are available for purchase and cost 25 cents per ticket, or five tickets for $1. The majority of the games only cost one ticket to participate.

These games include the dart toss, duck pond, prize wheel and Plinko.

Any child, or adult, who competes in a game is eligible to receive a prize. Some of the games have a variety of prizes available, based on the participants success at the game.

Relay For Life tote bags are able to be purchased at the event for children to carry prizes collected during the Block Party.

A bounce house and inflatable twister game are also provided through the Block Party event, but are available for use during the duration of Relay.

After the conclusion of the five-hour Block Party, coordinators are reorganizing before providing a new addition to the event this year.

At 6:30 p.m., adults and children are invited back to the infield to compete in a series of “Minute to Win It” adaptation games. The winner of the individual competitions receives a special prize at the conclusion of each contest.

All of the games are created to provide endless entertainment for all in attendance. The games include tear it up, ready spaghetti, junk in the trunk, face the cookie and the cup stack.

The games are adaptations of games played on the TV series, Minute to Win It. The activities are catered to be participated in by both children and adults.

The purpose of the Minute to Win It series is to unite participants for a final team activity and celebrate the day with laughter and amusement as teams complete the activities.

The Grateful to be Alive Block Party serves as an opportunity for community members and customers to celebrate healthy lifestyles, and enjoy a day of entertainment and community involvement.

It is also focused on honoring those individuals who have lost the battle with cancer, while recognizing those who are still fighting the terrible disease.

All proceeds from the meal, tickets and donations collected during the Block Party are immediately donated to the American Cancer Society and will be tallied at the conclusion of the event. The money is used for cancer research and programs.

For more information about the event, contact Katelin Davidson at 659-1020.