Marion County turns out to support Relay for Life

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SALEM — Area residents gathered on Saturday evening, Sept. 27, at the Marion County Fairgrounds in Salem, to support the efforts of the American Cancer Society.

The annual Marion County Relay for Life got under way at 4 p.m. that afternoon with the opening of Relay team fundraising and food booths, as well as other activities.

A Survivor Celebration was also held, with around 30 local cancer survivors registered and participating in this year’s Relay.

Sandie Peters, of Centralia, is a 60-year cancer survivor, having first been diagnosed at age five with Ewing sarcoma that resulted in the amputation of her leg at age nine.

In addition to her childhood cancer, Peters has also been through uterine cancer in 2018 and skin cancer in 2024.

Peters first got involved with the Relay because of her father, who passed away following a battle with cancer.

“2005 was our first year, so this is our 20th year of doing Relay for Life,” Peters said, noting that she and her family have a fundraising team that takes part every year.

On Saturday, she was helping out with the sale of luminaria for the 2025 Relay.

The 2025 American Cancer Society Relay For Life theme was “Cheers to 40 Years,” commemorating the beginning of Relay for Life fundraisers nationwide 40 years ago.

“As we commemorate 40 years of impact with Relay for Life, we celebrate the extraordinary journey that began with Dr. Gordy Klatt’s vision in 1985,” said Marion County Relay for Life organizing committee member Sheila Mulvany. “His 24-hour marathon around the track in Tacoma, Washington, sparked a global movement, uniting communities to fight back against cancer.”

That movement has continued to expand through the years, Mulvany noted.

“Over the decades, Relay for Life has transformed into a worldwide symbol of hope, remembrance and collective determination, raising funds and awareness to support the American Cancer Society’s missions,” she said. “We honor the milestones, the volunteers, the survivors and every step taken towards any cancer, as we know it, for everyone.”

“Together, we reflect on our shared history and look forward to continuing our work for the next 40 years and beyond,” Mulvany added.

She also provided some insight into one of the services that fundraisers like Relay for Life helps to fund … the Hope Lodge sites that provide a place for cancer patients and their families to stay when undergoing hospital treatment.

“During 2024, 15 people from Marion County were able to use 413 free nights of lodging at the Hope Lodge in St. Louis,” Mulvany explained. “Since the beginning of this year until the beginning of August, 21 individuals from Marion County have used 291 free nights of lodging at the Hope Lodge.”

The money raised by Relay For Life also helps fund a variety of other patient services, educational programs, screening awareness, cancer research and various other programs of the American Cancer Society.

“It is so wonderful to know that we are making a difference,” Mulvany said of the Relay for Life efforts.

The opening ceremony on Saturday got under way at 5 p.m. with the national anthem, followed by the survivor lap, caregiver lap and team lap.

Fundraising activities continued throughout the evening, with the Luminaria Ceremony held at 7 p.m. to commemorate the friends and loved ones who have been lost to cancer over the years. Organizers note that around 600 luminaria were sold during this year’s Relay for Life.

When closing ceremonies were held at 8 p.m., organizers announced that the fundraising total for this year’s Marion County event stood at $37,196. However, that total will grow since some teams were not in attendance and still need to turn in their totals.

In addition, donations toward this year’s Relay for Life total can be collected until sometime in November, so organizers are still hopeful of eventually reaching their fundraising goal of $50,000 for the 2025 Relay.