Ready for Relay? Relay for Life Kicks off Friday

Twinsburg Tiger Stadium will be transformed into Olympic Village on Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2 when the holds its 12th consecutive event. 

It will feature live bands, games, fitness activities, the ever popular Miss Relay event, and several “mini-Olympics” will offer participants a busy and fun-filled 18 hours during the signature fundraiser. 

The event opens at 6 p.m. Friday and runs through the night until closing ceremonies on Saturday at noon.  More than two dozen teams of local residents, businesses and organizations that have raised money in anticipation of the event will be camping out at Tiger Stadium.

Free and open to all, Rob Felber, Event chair, expects over 1,000 attendees to turn out over the two-day event.

Entertainment Chair Beth Noga said the events really offer something for everyone. 

“Our goal was to encourage more community participation this year,” Noga said in a press release. “It’s really a fun family celebration – live music, great food, and all kinds of activities, and all for a great cause.  We are especially excited about the different Saturday morning exercise class options.”

Several area bands also are donating their time and talents to provide live entertainment for the event.   Country band "Post Road", a band called "The Focus Group," and the popular "Deja Voodoo Band" will appear on the main stage Friday evening. 

Several teams will be holding fundraisers on site, such as a “lockup” for a cure, where participants are “arrested” and can be sprung for a $3 donation.

Saturday’s lineup is all about fitness and exercise with some new twists.  Christen Tranchito will lead a morning stretch at 7 a.m. followed by a Masala Bhangra Indian-dance workout.  Zumba fans can get moving with a 60-minute workout that starts at 9 a.m. followed by a T’ai Chi class hosted by at 10:30 a.m. Closing ceremonies begin at 11:30 a.m.

Adding to the fun festival atmosphere will be an array of great food available from local vendors who will be donating 50 percent of all sales back to Relay.  Original Steak and Hoagie, , Bob Evans and will be offering dinner items on Friday. 

Saturday visitors can enjoy a Bob Evans breakfast buffet.   Hot dogs and homemade baked goods prepared by two teams also will be available.  Water is generously being donated by Twinsburg Coca-Cola.  The company also is providing all of the recycling containers and carting away the recyclables.

While Relay For Life is filled with fun activities, the mission to raise funds to help people and families touched by cancer remains central to the event.   A special Luminaria Ceremony at 9:30 p.m. Friday evening will allow participants and community members to celebrate and remember loved ones who have battled cancer.  Illuminated bags decorated with messages for survivors and lost friends and family will line the track during the commemorative service.  In addition, survivor John Webb is organizing a “Reflections Tent” filled with messages, photographs, and other tributes.

“The Reflections Tent is a new feature this year specifically to honor and remember our friends and family who have battled cancer, win or lose,” Webb said. “Visitors can stop by for a few quiet moments to take in the personal stories and to share their own thoughts in a special book we will bring back every year.”

Organizers for this year’s Relay For Life have been meeting since last fall to plan the event in hopes of topping last year’s total of more than $70,000.  Meetings were held at , which also generously donated back a percentage of meeting date food sales to Relay.

More information about the upcoming Twinsburg/Nordonia Relay For Life and how you can participate is available at www.relayforlife.org/twinsburg.  Fundraising continues through July 2012.  Tweet about relay #relaytn or follow us at @Relay_TwinsNord.