Cancer Battle Fills Jim Miller Park

More than 5,000 people packed the grounds of on Friday night and this morning for the annual Cobb County Relay for Life, organizers estimated.

Those people walked laps among campsites for the 196 teams, played games, and ate everything from gumbo to popcorn to pink pancakes, all to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Planned activities included late-night dodge ball and a tug of war, and impromptu fun ranged from soccer games to dancing on the main stage.

Combined with earlier fundraisers this year and donations collected, the Cobb Relay has raised more than $636,000.

Based on participation and fundraising, the Cobb Relay is the nation's fourth-largest. Among the teams this year were representatives of all the public schools in Cobb County, as well as private schools, businesses, and families and friends of people who have fought cancer.

For example, has raised nearly $1,000, and has brought in more than $700.