At least 50 teams of local residents showed up Aug. 4 to spend 24 hours at Andy Hardin Stadium at San Benito High School for the annual Hollister Relay For Life.
As part of the annual event, teams pledge to have one member on the track at all times during a 24-hour period that started at 11 a.m. on Saturday and ended at 11 a.m. Sunday.
“It was amazing,” said Tracey Belton, the chairwoman for the committee this year. “We had a great turnout. We had several people from the community celebrate in our ceremonies. It was an excellent turnout.”
Though the event this year fell short of the goal to have 75 teams registered, its organizers still have a shot at reaching their fundraising goal of $130,000.
So far, the teams have raised $103,000, with some teams still tabulating their final totals. The teams have until Aug. 31 to turn in any money raised and some will continue their efforts through the end of the month.
“A lot of the teams had on-site games and raffles they were playing,” Belton said. “People were very creative with their games and how they decorated their campsites.”
Belton said there were a lot of people who registered the day of the event, including survivors who donned purple shirts as they walked a lap following the opening ceremonies.
“We had a young girl whose mom just lost her battle with cancer a few weeks ago,” Belton said, of the opening ceremonies. “Her mom was a really big volunteer in the Relay. She spoke about the Relay and her loss.”
Locals had a chance to remember those lost during a luminaria ceremony at 9 p.m. on Saturday, but most of the time was spent celebrating those who are battling cancer as well as providing information on how to prevent cancer. Each team was asked to share a fight-back moment – an idea on how to prevent or detect cancer early on.
“It was just an amazing time and something we will remember forever,” Belton said.
