East County Relay for Life to kick off 10th year

CAMAS — Relay for Life of East Clark County will kick off its 10th year raising money to combat cancer with a Jan. 24 gathering.

The informational meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Georgia-Pacific, 401 N.E. Adams St.

Event Coordinator Teresa Smith said if this year’s participants achieve a reachable goal of bringing in $100,000 for the American Cancer Society, the east county chapter will have raised $1 million since its founding in 2003.

“It’s a pretty big deal for us,” said event coordinator Teresa Smith.

East Clark County’s Relay for Life will be June 22 and 23 at Washougal High School’s Fishback Stadium, 1201 39th St.

Each year, as many as 500 east county residents, on teams of 10 or so, take turns circling a track for 24 hours in exchange for pledges. This year has a science-fiction theme: “May The Cure Be With You.”

Nearly 5,100 similar relays will take place in the U.S. this summer. Relay for Life of Vancouver celebrated its 25th year Thursday.

The American Cancer Society’s first Relay for Life was in 1986 in Tacoma.

For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org and search for “East Clark County.”