The American Cancer Society kicked off their annual Relay for Life celebration Wednesday, Oct. 25, at Marysvilles Jennings Park.
Becca Gheen, community relationship manager for ACS, said close to 30 people turned out for the 2006-07 event.
Gheen said the Snohomish County celebration of the Relay for Life is the largest non-profit fundraiser in the world and was founded 20 years ago by Tacoma physician Dr. Gordy Klatt.
In 1985 Dr. Gordy Klatt ran the track in Tacoma for 24 hours and raised $27,000 for the American Cancer Societys research, educational, advocacy and patient service programs, Gheen said. Now over 4,800 communities nationwide including North Snohomish County have their own Relay For Life events. In 2006 the North Snohomish County Relay raised over $99,000.
She said there are numerous relays around Snohomish County and the areas next will take place June 9-10 at the M-PHS track.
Teams of people camp out at M-PHS and take turns walking or running the track. Each team is asked to have a representative of their team on the track at all times during the event, because cancer never sleeps.
For further information, feel free to contact http://www.cancer.org/docroot/par/content/PAR_1_Relay_For_Life.asp.