Hundreds of Port Washington area residents took part in the American Cancer Society's annual fundraiser at .
From 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 16, until dawn the next day, the event featured a variety of musical and athletic attractions, and a temporary track, around which at least one person from each team dutifully walked.
In total the event raised nearly $77,800, and at its peak around 450 people were in attendance. In early morning, there were 53 tents perched, filled with at least 250 people, helping to raise funds for cancer research.
“It’s hard to find anyone whose lives haven’t been touched by cancer,” Ira Pernick said, calling it a “common bond.”
“What cancer can’t do is stifle out the human spirit,” he added.
Relay for Life brought groups as disparate as the and Girl Scout and Brownie Scout troops. Schreiber High School was called the “de facto Relay central,” because much of the organizing took place there, and several other smaller events such as “Rev it up for Relay” and “Pink Day” for breast cancer research were held there previously. The Relay Coaches Club began planning for the event back in September.
“I love going to Relay for Life every year and seeing the community come together for such a good cause," said Ellie Zolotarev, an active participant in the event. "Everyone – parents, kids, friends – has this night doing something great together.”
