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Hundreds Turn Out to Watauga High School Football Field for 18th Annual Watauga County Relay for Life

By Paul T. Choate

Kathy Idol, co-chair of Relay for Life (left) and Della Presnell, top individual fundraiser for 10 of the last 12 years (right). Photo by Ken Ketchie

June 18, 2012. Hundreds gathered for the American Cancer Society’s 18th annual Relay for Life of Watauga County fundraising event under beautiful skies at Watauga High School Football Field on Friday, June 15.

The Survivor March took place at 7 p.m., where survivors of cancer marched together for a lap around the football field. 

“It’s an opportunity for our survivors and our caregivers to come together and celebrate another year of survivorship and remember all that they’ve been through,” said Kathy Idol, co-chair for Relay for Life.

“It’s a once a year opportunity for a lot of people to get together and just celebrate.”

By estimates, several hundred people turned out on Friday for the annual event. Because they do not ask people to register, there is no exact figure on attendance.

“I thought the turnout this year was much better than last year,” said Idol. “We had more teams that came and set up tents on the field and participated. We had several new teams this year that came. Overall we thought that our general attendance was up over last year.”

Approximate $130,000 – and maybe more than that – was raised for this year’s installment of Relay for Life. Idol said going into Friday, $120,000 had been raised. Another $9,000 was turned in Friday night. Idol said money from concessions, the silent auction, as well as money raised by some teams has not been collected yet.

“So we expect to get quite a bit more,” said Idol.

For more information about Relay for Life, contact Kathy Idol at 828-264-5240.

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Photos by Maria Richardson & Ken Ketchie

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