Relay For Life Tonight at Safety Harbor City Park

Relay For Life, a national initiative created by the American Cancer Society to raise money and awareness to help combat the deadly disease, comes to Safety Harbor tonight.

The 18-hour event begins at 6.p. at City Park at 940 7th St. S. and runs through the night into Saturday morning. 

Each Relay For Life event is unique to the community, designed to unite people for a common goal, according to ACS Florida representative Lauren Hagwood.

"Relay brings together friends, families, businesses, hospitals, schools, faith-based groups, people from all walks of life – all aimed at furthering the American Cancer Society’s mission to save lives and create a world with less cancer and more birthdays," Hagwood wrote via email.

In addition to those participating in the relay, there will be food, games and fundraising tables set up in and around the track.

According to Melissa Weest, community coordinator for the Safety Harbor relay, each event on the packed Relay For Life schedule is significant to the community.

"This 18-hour event signifies our mission to end the fight against cancer," she said. "We do this to honor victims and to celebrate those who have survived the deadly disease."

Weest said she expects the Safety Harbor relay to be a "quaint" affair, with just nine teams participating.

But she said no matter how large or small the relay is, the group's mission remains strong.

"I do this so one day my son will never have to fear getting cancer," Weest said.

For more information on the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life, and to find out where other relays are taking place in the Tampa Bay area, visit the event's website at www.relayforlife.org.

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