Relay For Life in Red Lake County Not Held This Year

In 1999 the Relay For Life in Red Lake County was organized in Red Lake County and replaced the Longest Day of Golf which concluded in the county in 1998. The Relay For Life began in 1985 in Tacoma, WA and came to Red Lake County as a signature fundraising event for the American Cancer Society as announced by the Red Lake County American Cancer Society Volunteer Board. Great interest was generated for this event which involved an evening of teams walking on a track and collecting pledges to be used for cancer education, research, services and advocacy. At that event cancer survivors and their caregivers were special guests.
The first year the Red Lake County Relay For Life was held in Oklee the fundraising goal was set to raise $10,000.00. When the funds were collected at the end of the night, $24,000.00 had been raised! That placed Red Lake County in the top 10 fundraisers per capita nationwide and the event took off! There were 13 teams that first year and 166 team members. The honorary chairperson in 1999 was Connie Parenteau and 5 individuals raised more than $1,000.00 each. On year number 10, $78,786.00 was raised and each year from 1999 on our “little county that could” placed in the Top 10 Nationwide for per capita fundraising!
As with the Longest Day of Golf, the focus of the Relay For Life in Red Lake County has changed. There will not be a county wide event this year, and the volunteer committee and community members that have so tirelessly planned this fundraiser to fight cancer have had difficulty finding leadership, thus making this decision necessary. The efforts to raise awareness of cancer by promoting education and advocacy remains the same and the American Cancer Society Board in Red Lake County will meet to try to achieve those goals.
The success of the Relay For Life in Red Lake County can be attributed to the many volunteers who helped plan the event and worked each year to see that it reached the level of success that was associated with the Red Lake County Relay For Life. Over the 16 years that this event was held the cooperation of the Red Lake County communities, businesses, schools, city personnel, volunteers from across the county and team members from around the area was the key to such a successful fundraiser. Everyone who has been touched by cancer in some way was impacted by the efforts of those who participated in the Relay For Life in any capacity. The Red Lake County American Cancer Society Volunteer Board will continue to promote cancer education and advocacy, and anyone interested in becoming a volunteer on this Board may contact Barb Melby in Oklee at 796-5727, Dianne Gagner in Brooks at 698-4475, Arlene Froiland in Plummer at 465-4448 and Ruth Schultz in Red Lake Falls at 253-2421.
The Red Lake County American Cancer Society Board reminds everyone to be diligent in following through with recommended health screenings to maintain good health. MAY IS SKIN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH. Go to cancer.org or call the ACS toll free phone number, 1-800-227-2345 with questions or concerns regarding cancer.