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By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Chilton County Relay For Life event will look a little different this year.

After rescheduling to May 30, the coordinators have moved the event from the traditional in-person format to a live video event.

“This year, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the goal is … for ACS to keep all of its volunteers, supporters, committee members, staff, all of that, safe from all of this,” Kalyn Frederick, American Cancer Society community development manager for Chilton County, said. “They made the decision early last week to suspend all in-person events through the end of June.”

The Chilton County committee had to either cancel or find an alternate format in which to hold the event.

“I know Relay For Life is a big thing in Chilton County, so we wanted to make sure we could continue to provide that to all of the community,” Frederick said.

She said the event will now also give the community something to do while they may still be stuck at home.

Frederick anticipates that the virtual platform might also increase participation.

The event will be hosted on the Relay For Life of Chilton County, Alabama page and a specific schedule is still being worked out. Like the page and check back for updates as the day gets closer. Frederick said the event will be a mixture of live and pre-recordered segments.

Opportunities for participation are also being worked on.

There will still be entertainment, committee members talking about Relay, honoring survivors and a luminaria ceremony.

Many teams have also had to cancel fundraising events due to social distancing mandates.

“We are just trying to encourage all of our teams to do what they can still in the midst of this crazy time,” Frederick said. “… If 70 percent of the people involved in Relay in the South region raised $20, we will raise $40,000 … The mission is still going to go on for the American Cancer Society. The mission is to be in a world without cancer and that is not stopping.”

Donations to specific Relay For Life of Chilton County teams can be made on the Relay For Life website.