Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Mark Rogers

The Lowndes Signal

The party atmosphere in Hayneville last Friday night was electric as the annual American Cancer Society’s Lowndes County Relay For Life took place.

The annual event kicked off at 6 p.m. at the Russell Baseball Complex and featured a good crowd, plenty of food and, of course, cancer survivors and memories of those that have passed away.

“It was truly a great event,” Quenita Mitchell, Community Development Manager for the American Cancer Society in Montgomery, said. “The community was able to raise more than $54,000 to help the American Cancer Society lead the fight for a world without cancer. The event welcomed more than 100 people as we celebrated survivors, remembered loved ones lost and took action for lifesaving change.”

Mitchell said she appreciated the help of all of the sponsors for the event, including Chappell Tire Service, First Citizens Bank, Bates House of Turkey, Killer Diller Roscoe Miller, Lily Baptist Church, the Lowndes County Commission, Lowndes County Public Schools, Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, Priester’s Pecans, McQueen’s Paint & Body Shop, Phillips-Riley Funeral Home, Roby Jones Thomas, SABIC, Seacoast Disposal, Southern Star Entertainment and Whitehall Gaming Center Bingo.

“We want to thank everybody for coming, “ Eric Scott, who helped introduce the event on stage, said. “We are family and we are in this thing together.

Lowndes County Commission Chairman Carnell McAlpine spoke about the importance of the event as he greeted the attendees on behalf of Lowndes County and the City of Hayneville.

“I would be surprised if there is anyone in the audience over the age of 21 years old that is not aware of a family member has not had cancer,” he said. “This is a very important event. We pray for a cure for cancer.”

Pastor Parnell Adams then delivered a prayer to open the ceremony and Quiana Scott sang the National Anthem.

After the opening ceremonies, the traditional Survivors’ Lap took place and then family members and caregivers joined in. Decorated tents filled with a variety of things to eat surrounded the walking path and participants walked laps. Contests such as a limbo contest and events like a conga line also took place during Relay.

As the event came to a close luminaries around the track were lit bearing the names of those that had passed and those who are battling or have battled cancer.

For more information about Relay For Life, visit www.cancer.org