The ribbons are all part of the upcoming Sequoyah County Relay For Life for the American Cancer Society, which is set from 6 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday at the Perry F. Lattimore football stadium in Sallisaw.
Cathy Ball-Eppler, relay chairperson, said statistics indicate that in Oklahoma one in three men and one in four women will get cancer in their lifetime. "So we want people to be aware," she said.
This year's free event is an old-fashioned family carnival that features carnival games, team games for adults and children, free food, and door prizes.
"Again, relay is free to the public and survivors are our special guests," Ball-Eppler said.
Cancer survivors participating in the event will receive free T-shirts, gift bags and dinner provided by Outback Steak House in Fort Smith, Ark. Cancer survivors can call survivor chair Beverly Smith at (918) 774-4902 for more information.
Relay will begin with the Queen of the Relay contest at 6 p.m., with opening ceremonies beginning at 7 p.m. At 10 p.m. there will be a special luminaria ceremony honoring those with cancer and those who have lost the fight. Luminarias may be purchased on the night of the event or in advance by calling Jennifer Everett, luminaria chairperson, at (918) 235-0595.
Entertainment throughout the event will be provided by Ashlen Metheny, The Heist, Exit 101, Alter Ego, and disc jockey Curtis Stephens.
Activities include a frozen apparel contest, lip sync contest, watermelon eating contest, squirrel calling contest, hot dog eating contest, and more. Awards for best campsite and top fundraising team will also be presented. Door prizes, all donated by Sequoyah County businesses, will be given away all night, Ball-Eppler said.
Mazzio's Pizza of Sallisaw and Roland, Simple Simon's Pizza of Sallisaw, Sonic of Sallisaw, Wal-Mart of Sallisaw, Taco Mayo of Sallisaw, Pizza Hut of Sallisaw, and Panera Bread of Fort Smith have provided food for the event.
Ball-Eppler said relay begins at night so that participants feel the darkness a patient feels when they are diagnosed, and as they walk all night and want to give up, they feel like the patient does during treatment. In the morning, the sun comes up and they finish that final lap and know, as all cancer patients will hopefully know, that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Ball-Eppler said thanks to the money raised in 2005 they were able to provide gas cards for patients who need help getting to and from treatment, as well as cases of nutritional supplements for patients in need, all at no cost to the patients or their families. She said they hope to continue those programs and add new ones in the coming year.
