13th Annual Tillsonburg Relay for Life - June 6-7
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They've got so much entertainment planned, this year's Tillsonburg 13th annual Relay for Life – Friday, June 6 to Saturday, June 7 at the Annandale School track – begins a bit earlier.
"It starts Friday just after 6:30 p.m. with opening ceremonies," Tillsonburg Relay for Life chairperson Steve Kyle. "But the entertainment is going to start at 5:30 p.m. this year."
The guest speaker this year, Jenny (Aspden) Botzang, is a one-and-a-half year survivor.
A Survivor Lap follows opening ceremonies, usually about 7 p.m., followed by more stage-area entertainment until the 9:45 p.m. lighting of the luminaries – with candles lit around the Annandale track and a bagpipe procession led by Ingersoll Pipe Band. Musical entertainment continues until about 1:30 a.m., then games until 4 a.m.
"We have quite a variety of entertainment this year," said Kyle, noting that aspect of the Relay is coordinated annually by Julie Dawley.
"We also have the Silent Auction in the gym, and free food for everybody which is always a big hit," said Kyle, noting the food – donated by local grocery stores – is primarily intended for Relay for Life teams, but they do accept donations from the general public. "We do not turn anyone away if they would like something to eat, and make a donation. A lot of the pizza places are there and Nikko's is serving hamburgers.
"Basically it goes full tilt until about midnight," he said, noting the remaining seven 'overnight' hours until 7 a.m. Saturday morning are for the 31-32 registered Relay teams, which include many younger members this year.
"We're getting a lot of families this year, which we think is really exceptional because they are the ones, obviously, who are going to carry on this battle. It started out basically adult-only, and now it's developed into a family-theme community event."
Even if you are not on a Relay for Life team, you are very much invited Friday night, said Kyle. Support the survivors, meet the teams, watch the entertainment, walk the track. Check out the Silent Auction. Buy a Relay for Life 50-50 ticket or a luminary.
"We sell luminaries up until 9 o'clock. Actually we sell more luminaries the night of Relay than we do prior to it."
In addition to raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society, Relay for Life teams will be earning points Friday/Saturday toward team prizes.
"Julie started it last year where the teams get points for signing up early, for having a certain number of luminaries sold, having a certain amount of money raised, and having extra survivors registered on their teams for the survivor walk. If they had a fundraiser themselves, they get points, and if they attend someone else's fundraiser they get points for that too. A lot of the teams this year have games where they challenge other teams to participate, for points. And if they go in our talent contest – Tillsonburg's Got Talent – they get points for that.
"Most of prizes are donated by Domino's Pizza, and Town Centre mall donated some prizes too."
Tillsonburg Relay for Life is organized by a committee of 70 people. Another 350-plus volunteers help during the Relay.
"The service clubs, the students, the people... we usually have about 400 volunteers in total, and the 70 that sit on our committee. And we have more than 100 sponsors, which sure helps us a lot."