Relay for Life holds damp kickoff party

By FAITH MOLDAN/Bigfork Eagle

Relay for Life supporters moseyed on over to the kickoff party May 21 at Flathead Bank.

The kickoff is geared to raising interest and support for the event, which will be held July 18 at the Bigfork High School football field. It also gave teams the chance to sign up and others time to purchase a luminaria or two.

In keeping with this year's theme — "Lasso the Cure" — participants enjoyed cowboy tunes from Gene Gordner, roasted marshmallows over a campfire and dined on franks and beans a la a western chuckwagon. Door prizes were also awarded.

Rainy and cold weather kept the number of kickoff participants small and their stays short, but event chair Debbie Ingram said she was glad to see those who did attend have a good time and get a jump start on the Relay.

"It's eight weeks out," Ingram said of Bigfork's 4th Annual Relay for Life. She added that committee members threw around a few different theme ideas before settling on Lasso the Cure.

All cancer survivors are encouraged to participate in the Relay. A survivor reception will begin at 5 p.m. on the day of the event. From there, the survivors will gather for a photo. The opening ceremony is dedicated to those living with cancer. After the opening ceremony survivors walk the first lap to begin the Relay.

The Relay begins at 6 p.m. on July 18 and stretches into the early hours of the next day, ending at 8 a.m. on July 19. For more information, check out the Relay Web site www.events.cancer.org/rflbigforkmt or contact Ingram at 837-6280, or co-chair Lyn Mogolis at 837-6248. Team registration can be done through contacting Jolene Bradstreet at 837-1615.