Relay organizers hoping for record-breaking turnout

For cancer survivors, caregivers and supporters, it's time once again to walk it like they talk it.

This year's Greene County Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society's signature fundraising event in the fight against the disease, will be from 9 a.m. Saturday, May 14 to 9 a.m. Sunday, May 15.

Cancer survivors as well as teams of families, friends and co-workers camp out overnight, making a circuit around the track for an entire day to raise money for cancer research.

With the relay only days away, the number of teams participating has already topped last year's numbers.

So far, 194 participants and 24 teams are signed up for the event, with more to come, organizers said.

That's an increase of one team from the 23 that walked last year. Organizers hope to ultimately field more than 300 participants.

Overall donations are also expected to top the $46,000 raised locally last year, with $16,000 already turned in, said co-chair Dawn Price.

"That will go up," she said. "Anybody's welcome to come walk."

Price's Co-Chair Thom Ulmet said sign-ups for teams and individuals can occur up to the day of the event.

"This year, our goal for the county is to raise $50,000," he said.

Typically, a team is asked to raise at least $100 in donations. To obtain T-shirts from the event, Ulmet said each member must raise $100.

Teams are also expected to field at least one walker on the track throughout the event.

"Generally, the idea is to at least try to have one member of team on track at all times," Price said.

Ultimately, it's hoped about 28 teams are anticipated to sign up, also an increase of five from last year.

"We've had a couple teams sign up we knew nothing about," said Ulmet, who attributes the increased interest to the event's central location.

This year's relay will be again held at the White River Valley High School track.

"Our crowd size probably has a lot to do with the location of the event being more of a central place that's easier for people to access," Ulmet said. "It's on the highway between Linton and Bloomfield, and so it's easier for both sides of the county to get to."

The WRV track's location may have boosted the numbers of participation from the county's perimeters, said Ulmet.

"We have some new teams in Worthington, for instance, and a new team in Jasonville. It's nice to see communities which haven't been as involved get in there."

For the first time this year, a survivor's tent will also be on site, with a 5 p.m. Survivor's Lap followed by a 5:30 p.m. survivor's dinner featuring pork barbecue from a hog donated by Stahl's Meats.

Start times will be slightly earlier. While past relays had begun around noon, this year's will start and end at 9 a.m.

Both the Linton Angell's Food Center and the Switz City Christian Church plan fundraisers this weekend, with proceeds donated to the cause.

Angell's will hold its annual ribeye cookout Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., donating $1 from every sale to the American Cancer Society.

For $3, diners get a ribeye sandwich, a bag of Mike-Sell's potato chips and a Coca-Cola product.

Switz City Christian Church also plans a spaghetti bake at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a gospel sing. A freewill offering will be collected, with money donated to the Relay.

Chris Gehring, the church's pastor, is also scheduled to perform a short, 15-minute service at 8 a.m. the Sunday of the Relay at the track.

"He will do about a 10 to 15 minute service and lead the people there in a couple church songs," Price said.

Donations can be made to the Relay For Life event by visiting www.relayforlife.org/greenecountyin.

Volunteers can also start or join a team by following the links on the website.

Those seeking to become involved can contact either co-chair. Ulmet can be reached by phone at (812) 340-2744 and by e-mail at thomas.ulmet@cancer.org. Price can be reached by phone at (812) 798-8506 and via e-mail at d_price33@comcast.net .

The event's been held since 1996 locally, organizers said.