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Relay for Life surpasses goal
With a nationally recognized team under its umbrella and having vaulted over its fundraising and participation objectives, Bourbon County Relay for Life is ready to roll tonight -- and into Saturday.
"We are ecstatic to announce that we have already surpassed our $50,000 goal. We are hanging right around $54,000," Relay for Life Chairwoman Bailey Gray told those attending a Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce coffee Thursday on the patio of the Danny and Willa Ellis Family Fine Arts Center at Fort Scott Community College.
This is a record for Bourbon County for the last five years and it's one of the top relays in the 17-year history of the event here, Gray said.
The 12-hour trek starts at 6 p.m. today at the FSCC walking track and concludes at 6 a.m. Saturday. The walk raises funds to fight cancer and care for those battling the disease.
The event will feature entertainment, inflatables for kids, a luminaria celebration and a first birthday party for a very young local cancer survivor, Ty Lundberg. Fireworks will be launched after the luminaria celebration.
Luminarias were available at the coffee and around Fort Scott at After Affect Salon and at the UMB bank drive-thru. Cost is $10.
State Sen. Bob Marshall, R-Fort Scott, a cancer survivor, will be among the survivor speakers.
Relay for Life committee member Rachel French from Ward-Kraft said her team has raised $17,000 -- $10,000 is needed to be nationally recognized.
Gray said the FSCC squad will be a gold-level team this year, having raised $5,000.
Gina Findley, also a committee member, said 80 Fort Scott High School students have registered to help out -- another goal met. The youngsters have volunteered to decorate the town purple for a $10 donation to Relay for Life.
Advanced Dental Care is also after some Relay contributions. Those who donate $50 to Relay will get $500 off Invisalign braces and anyone who offers $100, will get $1,000 off the braces.
The next chamber coffee, hosted by the Master Gardeners and Garden Club, is set for 8 a.m. June 21 at the Heritage Park Pavilion downtown.
The second "Update Fort Scott" will be held at 5:30 p.m. June 21 in the old gym at Buck Run Community Center. Keynotes are the Youth Action Team and Gunn Park Trails. Representatives from the city and county will also be on hand.
State Farm Insurance agent Kale Nelson said he will be moving his office to the 5 Corners business complex in space next to Miss Jamie's bakery. The insurance agency hopes to open July 2. It has been at it current location, 20 W. Wall St., for seven years.
A schedule of events
for Relay follows:
5 p.m. Survivor registration begins at Survivor Tent, Monica Holder, survivor chair
6 p.m. Opening ceremony
2012 welcome and committee introductions
Bailey Gray and Stacy Wunderly, event co-chairs
Presentation of the Colors
VFW Post 1165 Honor Guard, Knights of Columbus Council No. 796 Honor Guard
Star Spangled Banner, Mary Jo Harper
Opening Prayer, Mike Chipman, survivor and minister at Church of Christ
6:30 p.m. Survivor ceremony; survivor speakers are Shelby Maycumber, Misty Adams, Sen. Bob Marshall, Kelsey Hammontree; survivor and caregiver lap
6:50 p.m. St. John's United Methodist Church youth performance
7 p.m. Parade of teams; team introductions and pictures; Jared Leek, team recruitment chair; Ward/Kraft recognition and check presentation, Bailey Gray and Stacy Wunderly, event co-chairs
7 p.m. Fishing derby
7:30 p.m. Community concert: 33 1/3 (jazz, blues, classic rock and country); Miss Relay competition
8:50 p.m. Locks of Love; announcement of total inches cut; Shelly Bradley and Debi Fritter, The After Affect Salon
9 p.m. Luminaria ceremony, Schery Rupprecht, luminaria chair; "Taps," Jerry Witt
9:30 p.m. Fireworks display: Celebrating a World with more Birthdays; special birthday recognition to Ty Lundberg
10 p.m. Fort Scott Idol performances
10:30 p.m. Relay Olympics
End of basket raffles
11 p.m. Poker laps
11:15 p.m. Community concert: B.J. Pruitt
Midnight Madness: Team skits
1 a.m. Top of the Hour Challenge
1:15 a.m. Community concert: Mary Jo Harper and Addi Brown -- Ladies Power Hour Performance
2 a.m. Top of the Hour Challenge
2:15 a.m. Community concert: Jake "Jukebox" Johnson
3 a.m. Top of the Hour challenge
3:15 a.m. Fight Back ceremony -- The Sharing Bucket/Care to Share
4 a.m. Top of the Hour Challenge
4:15 a.m. Musical Chairs
5 a.m. Top of the Hour challenge
5:15 a.m. Breakfast, served by the Fort Scott Fire Department
Team awards ceremony, Bailey Gray and Stacy Wunderly, event co-chairs
Announcement of 2012 totals -- Gina Findley, accounting chair
5:45 a.m. Closing prayer and final lap
If you are interested in being on the committee or being a team captain for the 2013 Relay, call Bailey Gray at (417) 824-0771. This year's Relay theme is "Follow the Yellow Brick Road to a Cure; There's No Place Like Hope."