Make a Trip To Friendship Park This Weekend And Help Fight Cancer

Even if you're not walking for the cause this weekend, members of the public are still welcome to stop by and join in the Relay For Life of Oxford-Lake Orion festivities.

Relay For Life is a 24-hour event, which starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, where teams walk to raise money to fund the American Cancer Society (ACS) and its cancer research. Many teams have been raising money for months now online, and some will keep receiving donations on-site at the event.

There are nearly 500 people who will actively be participating in the event by walking around the designated track at the park, and the goal is to have one person from a team walking at all times. The participants make up 43 teams that have raised more than $85,000 thus far. Liz Sawielski, Relay For Life senior community representative, said that last year there were 31 teams registered and about 450 participants.

"It's going to be a great year for us this year; we have quite a few more teams," Sawielski said. "Last year we raised a little over $100,000 and our goal this year is $105,000 and we're pacing well to hit that goal."

Sawielski said that this year is the second year in a row that Oxford and Orion have combined to do the Relay For Life together. The communities had at one point combined the event, but then parted ways for quite a few years before deciding to once again make it a joined effort.

"These are two communities coming together as one to fight cancer—that's what we're really trying to stress," she said.

What can you do at Relay For Life?

In addition to benefiting a good cause, the Relay For Life offers attendees lots of family friendly things to do. Entrance to the event is free and there will be a variety of opportunities for attendees to donate to the cause throughout the 24 hour period.

Festivities will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday with an opening ceremony. At noon on Saturday, attendees that have survived cancer will participate in The Survivors Lap in which they all walk around the track together. After The Survivors Lap, survivors and caregivers alike will be honored at a ceremony taking place at the main stage of the event.

According to Sawielski music will be playing much of the time including a DJ as well as local bands such as the Cold City Cowboys, the Vibro-Kings and The Vista Cruisers. A silent auction will take place from noon-5 p.m. on Saturday, with a live auction beginning at 2 p.m.

Snap Fitness will be onsite doing an exercise segment and fLipSpot will also be participating in the event. A variety of food items will be available at the Relay For Life at different team's tents. Teams will be trading food for donations for the cause. Likewise, different teams will be selling arts and crafts and others will have different games and activities to play on-site at their tents that kids and adults alike can participate in by pitching in and helping ACS.

Sawielski said kids will get a kick out of the bounce house and dunk tank that will be set up and that other organized events such as a tug-of-war and kickball game will take place.

At 10 p.m., attendees will gather for the Luminaria Ceremony, where bags with candles in them will line the track. Throughout the day Saturday, participants will have the opportunity to purchase a luminaria to recognize loved ones who have been diagnosed with cancer, died from it or survived it.

Luminarias, bags with candles inside, will be on sale for $10 each, with proceeds going to ACS. After the candles are lit participants will take a lap in silence.

"People can decorate them on-site for free and can put anything they want on the bag. They can put a message in honor of the person, write their name or they can bring out a photo to put on the bag," Sawielski said. "It’s a very moving ceremony that a lot of people come out for."

The closing ceremony is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on Sunday where participants that raise the most funds will be awarded for their efforts and the estimated total amount of money raised from the event will be announced.

For more information on the Oxford-Lake Orion Relay For Life visit www.relayforlife.org/oxfordlakeorionmi.

If you plan on taking pictures at the Relay For Life, consider sending them to Patch to post. If interested please send photos to Brittney.L.Moody@gmail.com.