WEST MILFORD — It’s time to kick off the Relay for Life of the Highlands 2013. The event itself takes place on June 1 and 2, but the kick-off celebration happens on Thursday, Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. at West Milford High School, 67 Highlander Drive.
The kick-off celebration is to welcome returning volunteers, new volunteers and to sign up teams for the 2013 Relay. Last year, the Relay brought out over 500 walkers, 46 teams and 34 survivors to the event. Plus there were plenty of spectators cheering on the participants as they walked the West Milford High School track throughout the night. West Milford participants alone raised over $105,000 for the American Cancer Society.
The Relay for Life is an overnight event that brings together communities throughout the country. Here in West Milford, the community always comes through, raising funds during the event and throughout the year.
Donations to the Relay for Life help provide much for cancer patients and their families. For example, wigs are available to patients who have lost their hair through the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) free wig program. Reach to Recovery is a program where ACS helps both men and women cope with their breast cancer experience by talking to specially trained volunteers. These volunteers help with information but also provide support, comfort or just a person to talk to. Mastectomy or lumpectomy patients can receive a free bra through ACS. The Road to Recovery program provides volunteers to drive patients to their doctor appointments and cancer treatments. For any of these services, call 800-227-2345 or go to cancer.org.
And don’t forget to look in the Messenger’s calendar for Macopin Pizza’s monthly Relay for Life night where they will donate a percentage of their business to the cause.
Locally, Nicole Rivera and Vickie Evans are Relay co-chairs. Contact them at relay.highlandsnj@gmail.com or at 973-800-8867. For more information about the Relay, go to www.relayforlife.org/highlandsnj.
If there’s snow on Feb. 7, the kick-off celebration will instead be held on Feb. 11.
Do you plan to participate in Relay for Life? Go to westmilfordmessenger.com and share your story.