Kick cancer’s butt at Relay for Life on Friday

IDAHO FALLS — The Relay for Life Idaho Falls chapter is hosting its annual community fundraiser for the fight against cancer Friday, July 8.

Event Chair Jennifer Moulton said the event hosts three main themes: celebrating survivors, remembering those lost to cancer, and fighting back by pledging to live a healthy lifestyle.

“We do a survivor ceremony so we can recognize and celebrate or survivors, and then we do a remembrance ceremony called a Luminaria Ceremony where we light little bags around the track and shut down stadium lights, and then we do a ceremony where you can purchase a bag to light up in honor of or in remembrance of someone,” Moulton said.

Moulton said 93 teams have registered to be a part of the event this year and so far the organization has raised more $68,000, according to the official event page early Friday afternoon. She said it’s one of the largest turnouts in teams she’s seen, and she’s expecting close to 3,000 people at the event.

This year’s theme is “Ropin’ in a Cure.” The event will go from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., with a reception dinner at 4:30 p.m. The event will be at the Thunder Stadium in Idaho Falls. See the full schedule here.

“Huge amounts of activities and fun. We have live free entertainment going on at the stage all night we have fundraisers at each of the campsite booths … crafts and baked goods, it’s almost like a big party,” Moulton said.

Moulton said all of the money raised goes the American Cancer Society, but the money raised locally is vital. She said more funds are given back to the community through the American Cancer Society.

“Ultimately it’s a way for us to celebrate the fact that (cancer patients and survivors) have had to battle such a terrible diagnosis. We always want to make sure that they’re not alone. We want to show them that community is behind them, that there are other survivors that are struggling with them, and/or have succeeded in their fight,” Moulton said.