PORT TOWNSEND — The Relay For Life of Jefferson County begins at noon Saturday at Memorial Field with 24 hours of music, games and laps around the track to raise money for cancer research.
Opening ceremonies at Memorial Field at 550 Washington St. will be at noon Saturday, with teams checking in an hour before then.
The goal for this year’s relay is to raise $34,000 to give to the American Cancer Society for cancer research, said Katelynn Rushing, American Cancer Society community relationship manager, based in Everett.
Last year, the group raised $32,596, she said.
As of Thursday, 21 teams and 287 participants had raised $10,950.57, according to the group’s website at http://tinyurl.com/relayforlife-jefferson.
Cancer information
Teams at this year’s event will man booths with specific information about different types of cancer, Rushing said.
“Each team has picked a specific cancer to highlight, to talk about ways to prevent or look out for different types of cancer,” Rushing said.
“The idea is for the community to learn about different types of cancers.”
Other activites planned at the relay include a kinds’ bouncy house, egg and water balloon tosses, bingo and team raffles.
Teams will offer a variety of food and goods.
Music is planned all afternoon, with the Christian Lundgren Band performing from noon to 3 p.m. and the Buck Ellard Band from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
A purple-themed lap is set at 2 p.m.
Survivor Lap
The Survivor Lap will be at 6 p.m. A tradition at relay events, the lap is for anyone who has had a diagnosis of cancer. Survivors lead the way around the track while being applauded by all participants.
Right after the Survivor Lap will be the Survivor Dinner.
From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Blacky Sheridan Band will perform. At 8 p.m. will be a cake walk.
As the band winds up at 10 p.m., the luminaria ceremony will begin.
In this ceremony, another tradition for relay events, candles are lit within paper bags personalized with dedications to loved ones.
The evening will wrap up with Louie’s World Band performing from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m.
On Sunday, breakfast will be at 7 a.m.. Also at 7 a.m., the San Juan Baptist Church will have a chapel service.
The Bed Head Lap will be at 8 a.m.
After yoga at 9 a.m., the closing ceremony will be at 11 a.m., and participants will clean up at noon.
The event chairwoman is Heather Morris at 360-531-4667 or heathermm35@me.com).
The Port Angeles Relay For Life was June 7-8.
Other events on the North Olympic Peninsula are:
■ Relay For Life Forks — 3 p.m. to noon Aug. 3-4, Forks High School, 261 Spartan Ave., Forks.
Contact Cindy Mesenbrink at cindymesenbrink@gmail.com or 360-374-5718.
■ Relay For Life of Sequim — 3 p.m. to noon Aug. 9-10, Sequim High School, 601 N. Sequim Ave.
Contact Marie Meyers at mmeyers8@gmail.com or 360-461-6822.