Moniteau County Residents Invited to kick off the American Cancer Society Relay for Life

Moniteau County residents are invited to kick off the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of California at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7, at First Baptist Church, California. This community celebration is open to anyone who wants to learn more about Relay for Life and how to get involved. This community event honors cancer survivors, current cancer patients and caregivers and pays tribute to those who have lost their battle with cancer.

The ACS Relay for Life of Moniteau County will be held June 15-16 at the Moniteau County Fairgrounds, California.

The kick-off is also the perfect opportuntiy for those interested in learning how to become a Relay for Life team member, how to start a team, or how to volunteer the night of the Relay There are several committee positions available for those interested in helping coordinate the event.

The ACS Relay for Life is an overnight community celebration where individuals and teams camp out, barbeque, dance and take turns walking around a track relay-style to raise funds to fight cancer. At nightfall, participants will light hundreds of luminaria around the track in a moving ceremony to honor cancer survivors, as well as friends and family members lost to the disease.

Currently, seven teams are registered to participate in the Moniteau County Relay for Life. The goal for this year's relay is 13 teams, while the survivor goal is 70 survivors. The fundraising goal this year is $74,000.

For more information about the American Cancer Society, call 1-800-227-2345 or

visit cancer.org.

The ACS combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. Lives are saved by helping people stay well through cancer prevention and early detection; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in ground-breaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight.