Relay For Life Of New Tampa Is Coming Up!

It’s that time of year again. Time to gather a team, raise some money and walk the track at Freedom High in Tampa Palms, as the American Cancer Society (ACS)’s Relay For Life of New Tampa is fast approaching.

The 18-hour, overnight walk to raise money for cancer research will be held on Friday, May 2, around the track and on the football field at Freedom (located off Commerce Park Blvd. in Tampa Palms), beginning at 6 p.m.

So far, nearly 300 participants on 37 teams already have raised about $30,000 for cancer research for this year’s Relay.

“Relay (of New Tampa) is going very well this year,” says ACS Relay For Life specialist Lizzy Mead. “We fully expect to settle in at around 50-60 teams and our goal is to raise $101,000.”

Mead says that last year’s event also had more than 300 participants on 59 teams and raised $98,000.

“We only need 23 more teams,” Mead says, adding that there usually is a large influx of last-minute teams that sign up to participate right before the event commences.

This year, the New Tampa Relay again will feature the Survivor and Caregiver dinner immediately following the opening ceremony, which begins at 6:30.

“We encourage survivors to register online at our website or to contact me,” Mead says. “Our survivors and caregivers are the ‘hope’ for (Relay), so they get to take the first lap and kick off the event.”

This year, participants can expect lots of food and entertainment, including a DJ, a Disney costume contest, kids activities and even a hair donation.

“Someone is actually going to have her hair cut to donate it for a wig for someone in treatment during the event,” Mead says.

Sound like a good time? For more info, please visit RelayForLife.org and search “New Tampa.”