In its 16th year, walkers will go around the clock in the battle against cancer during the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Chilton County.

Relay For Life is a family-oriented team event where participants walk relay-style around the track and take part in fun activities off the track. Teams can include coworkers, club members, family and friends and have gathered donations prior to the event.

This year’s Relay For Life event will be on April 24 starting at 6:00pm. Also this year, the Survivor’s Reception is going to be moved to the night of Relay (more details to follow). To start a Relay For Life team, donate, or find out what fundraisers are going on in your community, visit www.relayforlife.org/chilton.

During the Relay For Life event this year, we are also going to have the 2nd Annual Kid’s Walk. This year we are asking all students’ age 5 and up to enter the Kid’s Walk T-shirt contest. All you have to do is draw what you think the Kid’s Walk t-shirts should look like and mail them to American Cancer Society, Attn: Morgan Choat, 1100 Ireland Way, Suite 201, Birmingham, AL 35205. The deadline to have them mailed in is March 13. The winner’s design will be on the 2009 Kid’s Walk t-shirt and will be honored at the Relay event.

“Relay For Life is a unique opportunity for our community to come together to celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember those we’ve lost, and fight back against the disease,” said Robert Griffin. “Many of the participants are cancer survivors (anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer), which serves as a reminder that our community is not immune to this disease and we can actually help our friends, families and neighbors that have been touched by cancer,” Griffin added.

The public is also invited to attend the Luminaria Ceremony, which will take place after sundown. To honor the community’s cancer survivors and to remember those lost to the disease, everyone will circle the track rimmed with glowing luminaria. Luminaria’s can be purchased for $5.00 “in memory” or “in honor” of someone by mailing your check and whom you want the bag dedicated to. You can mail all information to Kim Glenn at 9958 CR 15, Maplesville, AL 36750.

For more information, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.