Relay for Life kicks off

WINSTED — Winsted-area residents are gearing up for the annual Relay for Life of the Northwest Hills this weekend, which kicks off with a special Survivors Lap honoring those who have defeated cancer on Saturday, June 25, at 2 p.m.The Relay for Life will continue through Saturday and into Sunday, June 26. The annual two-day walk-a-thon raises tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research while celebrating survivors and remembering lost loved ones. Entertainment, refreshments and prizes are featured throughout the weekend.Winsted resident Alicia Campbell, a regular participant in the relay who has organized teams for the past six years, said Tuesday she is looking forward to another successful event. “I started our team when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer,” she said. “It is amazing to see all the survivors during the survivor walk. It’s very emotional.”Teams began forming last November for this year’s event and monthly meetings have been held to teach newcomers how to rally their teams and raise funds. As of Tuesday of this week, the relay had raised more than $40,000 and organizers were hoping to clear a nine-year total of more than $1 million.Participants will walk around the Northwestern Regional High School track and camp out on the infield Saturday night. A special Fight Back Ceremony, held Saturday evening at 7 p.m., will provide everyone in the greater Northwest Corner community the opportunity to make a pledge to take personal action in the fight against cancer, followed by a luminaria ceremony after sunset, in which the night will be brightened by the glow of candles in bags called luminaria — each bearing the name of someone who has battled cancer. The luminaria ceremony honors and remembers those gone too soon. “The luminaria walk is just amazing and breathtaking,” Campbell said. “I believe with every penny that we raise, we are that much closer to a cure.”Candles in the luminaria ceremony can be purchased for a donation of $10. Those who wish to do so should contact Debbie Blair at dblair@collinsvillesavings.com or by visiting www.relayforlife.org/northwesthillsct. “It is a beautiful sight when all the bags with candles are illuminated around the track,” Blair. “The Luminaria Ceremony is a moving way to celebrate what cancer survivors have overcome, while motivating the community to continue to fight the disease that claims too many lives.”The relay concludes Sunday at 10 a.m. with a closing ceremony and an announcement of the dollar amount collected. All events are open to the public and admission is free. Donations are accepted. To learn more or to get help, visit relayforlife.org or cancer.org, or call 1-800-227-2345.

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