The ninth annual Meeker County Relay For Life, an activity that spreads cancer awareness by remembering those who lost their lives to cancer, celebrating survivors and fund-raising for continued cancer research, will be Friday at the Litchfield High School track.

This year the goal is to raise more than $50,000 in Meeker County.

The overnight Relay For Life began in 1985 and has grown to include hundreds of relays across the world. Teams try to keep one member walking along the track all night, as luminarias, honoring survivors and remembering those who have died, light the way.

Luminarias may be purchased before the Meeker County Relay For Life event at Meeker County Public Health or at the event up until the Luminaria Ceremony. Luminarias are available for a suggested donation of $10.

The Relay begins at 11 a.m. and wraps up around midnight Friday.

• A community lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• A new Youth Zone, open from 2 to 5 p.m., requires a $5 wristband. Activities include carnival games, inflatables and human bowling.
• Sundance Entertainment will provide DJ music from 2 to 3:30 p.m., followed by live music from the Hutchinson band, Last Men Standing, until 5 p.m.
• Opening ceremonies and entertainment start at 5:30 p.m., followed by guest speaker Dr. Richard Searl around 6:15 p.m.
• The Survivor’s Lap is 7:30 p.m. and the Ceremony of Hope, lighting of the luminarias, is at 9 p.m. Vern and Norma Jensen of Litchfield are this year’s torch bearers.
• Movies by Moonlight starts at 10 p.m. with an 11:30 p.m. closing ceremony.

The Litchfield High School track is located on Sixth Street East between Armstrong and Gilman avenues.

Read a survivor's story here or check out the June 19 Independent Review. [2]