Watauga County Relay for Life Event Held Friday, June 20 at Watauga High School; Schedule of Events Included

by Madison V. Fisler

June 16, 2014. On Friday, June 20, cancer survivors, supporters and loved ones of those who have faced the disease will come together at Watauga High School to celebrate life and fight back against cancer at the annual Watauga County Relay for Life event. 

After countless hours of year-round fundraising efforts, teams from Watauga County will once again rally together for a day of support, remembrance and finishing the fight against cancer. Each of the teams participating this year have spent large amounts of time raising funds for the American Cancer Society, supporting each other and raising awareness of the multiple diseases under the cancer umbrella. Beginning at 2 p.m. at Watauga High School, the teams will set out to fight cancer once again. 

The Relay will last all night and into Saturday morning. Relay for Life officially ends on Saturday at 8 a.m. when the teams will begin to clean up and move out with one more successful year of Relay under their belts. 

This year, 34 teams including more than 400 individual participants are participating in the event. Many of the teams do different types of fundraisers throughout the year, from 5K runs to pancake suppers and everything in between. All of the money that these teams raise throughout the year is donated to the American Cancer Society to help fight cancer, raise awareness and spread information to those diagnosed and those who support them. 

Last year, 36 teams representing 288 team members raised more than $115,000 for the cause, according to the 2013 Watauga County Relay for Life Summary release. This year, the group hopes to raise even more.

The teams that will be represented on Friday include the following: 

• Deerfield Dream Team
• FBC Crusaders
• Friends for Life
• Jerry’s Intimidators
• RFL Committee
• Bethel Believers
• BACC Walking with Spirit
• Grace Happens
• Boone Drug Crusaders
• Frights Fighting Cancer
• Metamorphosis
• Watauga County Farm Bureau
• Mountain Harmony
• MOAA HCC
• Cancer Crusaders
• Beech Valley Baptist Church
• Charlie’s Angels
• Ted’s Troops
• Lan’s Lappers
• Lights for Louise
• St. Elizabeth’s Archangels
• Chelsea Buffaloes of Valle Crucis
• Pool of Hope
• G.R.E.G.
• Parkway Patriots
• Perkinsville Baptist Hands and Feet
• Watauga Opportunities
• The C-5s
• The Junaluska Angels
• Hardin Park HoPe
• Medi Home Health, Hospice and Home Care
• WHS Class of 1981 Alumni
• Blowing Rock School
• Lifesavers for a Cure

The Watauga County Relay for Life 2014 schedule of events includes many ceremonies, a silent auction, various activities and more for the entire day and into Saturday, June 21.

The entire schedule of events is as follows:

• 2 p.m.: Begin setting up team tents at Watauga High School
• 3-5 p.m.: Pre-recorded music
• 3 p.m.-until: Activities and fundraisers held at various team tents. Food will be available at concession booths and surrounding areas.
• 3-8:30 p.m.: Luminaria for sale at the Luminaria tent. Money may be turned in at the accounting tent
• 5-10 p.m.: Relay store open
• 5-9 p.m.: Silent auction open for bids
• 5-11 p.m.: Airwalk, slide and climbing walls open
• 5-6 p.m.: Survivor registration and gathering at survivor tent on track
• 5:30-6 p.m.: Appalachian Rhythm Cloggers perform onstage
• 6-6:30 p.m.: Opening ceremonies, welcome, national anthem, invocation, color guard, survivor and caregiver lap, survivor reception
• 6:20-7 p.m.: Bethel Road Gospel
• 7-7:30 p.m.: Country Magic Cloggers perform onstage
• 7:30-8:10 p.m.: Blue Country
• 8:10-8:50 p.m.: Kinsey Green & The Bluegrass Mafia
• 8:50-9:30 p.m.: Folk and Dagger
• 9 p.m.: Bidding closes at silent auction
• 9:30 p.m.: Luminaria ceremony, bringing in of the Relay Torch, memorial torches ceremony, silent luminaria lap
• 10 p.m.: Raffle drawings at the main stage
• 10-12 p.m.: Bingo in survivor’s tent, frozen t-shirt contest, trashy fashion show and other games and events
• 11 p.m.: Closing ceremony
• Saturday, June 21 @ 8 a.m. – Site cleanup

Check out photos from previous Relay for Life events:

Photos by Ken Ketchie