The Chilton County Relay For Life is starting 2012 strong with a kickoff event on Thursday, Jan. 12 and the Smile For A Cure Pageant on Saturday, Jan. 21.

The kickoff will begin at 6 p.m. at Peach Park. It is free to attend and includes a complimentary dinner, guest speakers and Relay team registration.

The annual Smile For A Cure Pageant will start at 3 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Maplesville High School Auditorium.

Junior Miss Peach Lexi Gray will serve as emcee for the evening.

Each contestant will be asked to dedicate her walk in memory or in honor of a cancer patient, and all names will be read in a luminaria ceremony that will precede the pageant.

All proceeds from the pageant will benefit Chilton County Relay For Life.

Admission is $5 and free for children under age 5.

The pageant entry fee is $35 per contestant and includes the pageant and photogenic contest. Checks should be made payable to American Cancer Society – RFL, and additional photogenic entries are $5 for each photo.

Photos should be no larger than 5-by-7 inches (no frames please).

Pageant practice and registration will be Monday, Jan. 16 at 5 p.m. at the MHS auditorium. Practice is not required but strongly encouraged.

All forms and photogenic entries must be submitted by this date. If you are not attending practice, you may mail your entry form along with your photogenic entry and pageant entry fee to: Smile For A Cure, 8722 County Road 307, Lawley, AL, 36793.

Entry forms are available at the Maplesville High School office, at practice/registration Jan. 16 at MHS or by request – email jsmith@taylormadeinc.com or Facebook request SouthernXtreme Signs.

The top four age groups will be given a one-hour coaching session from Perfect Image Consulting, a pageant preparation company.

Pleasant Grove Baptist Church No. 2 Relay For Life team has sponsored the Smile For A Cure Pageant for about 8 years now.

For more information, email Jeannie Smith at jsmith@taylormadeinc.com.