LUMINARIA SPELL OUT “HOPE” just prior to a special service to honor cancer survivors and victims held during the Freestone County Relay for Life fundraiser of American Cancer Society. Because of rain, activities were moved from Eagle Field to the junior high school commons. Even though it was a little rain hampered, Freestone County Relay for Life reports a fundraising profit of about $70,000 for American Cancer Society.

The relay was held over the weekend at the Fairfield junior high school commons, where it was moved because of rain storms.

“We started with nothing and came up with $70,000,” says the Rev. Spain Trask, who co-chaired the event with his wife Betty.

This is the 12th year for the event, which has raised more than $900,000 for ACS.

Relay is based around volunteer teams who solicit pledges for their participation. Teams walk laps continuously during the event, taking a break only during a special service recognizing cancer survivors and victims.

The Freestone county event included 25 fundraising teams, the largest being Team Twila consisting of 91 members. The team is named in honor of Twila Lyles of Fairfield.

Walking laps was hampered this year because of rain which moved the event indoors from Eagle Field.

“Moving was difficult. The most difficult part was people didn’t have a place to walk,” Trask says.

The move also eliminated campsites that are set up around the football field by teams.

Raising the most money for the relay, $10,600, was “Team Cindy” from Fairfield elementary school. The team is named in honor of elementary school teacher Cindy Neal who is a cancer survivor.

Three individuals are recognized for their fundraising work—-Barbara Welch raised $4,493 for the junior high school team, Becky Stephenson raised more than $4,200 through memorial quilt sales and Barney Leach held “Baskets for Hope” to raise $2,725.

Mrs. Stephenson pieced a quilt for which donations were given to have names embroidered on its back. The quilt was given away during the relay.

Sales of luminaria at $5 each brought in $2,600. The luminaria are purchased in memory of cancer survivors and victims.

During the luminaria ceremony, a roll of cancer survivors and victims is read and the luminaria are arranged to spell “HOPE.”

Conducting the luminaria ceremony were Mark Palmquist, Kevin Benedict and Shelly Lyles, with an opening and closing prayer offered by Jason Schick.

The relay started at 6 p.m. Friday with a survivors’ reception and the opening ceremony got underway at 7 p.m.

Serving as emcee was Kyle Stone, Rev. Trask offered the invocation, a flag ceremony was conducted by Boy Scout Troop 668 and the national anthem was played by a Fairfield high school trombone ensemble.

Cancer survivors walked the first lap of the relay in the junior high school gymnasium, and were joined by family and friends for the second lap.

The event also included a performance by the Fairfield fourth grade choir and a rock band made up of Fairfield musicians.

Chocolate lovers indulged themselves at a chocolate buffet set up in the cafeteria.

Other activities during the relay included a bounce house, hair painting, games and cupcake walk.

Fairfield Young Farmers cooked hamburgers to help feed relay participants, donating proceeds to the event.