Getting started early, organizers of the 2013 Logan County Relay For Life are holding a Team sign-up event on Friday, Oct. 12 in the lobby of the Russellville High School. This is a time where people can come out and sign their Relay Teams up early.

The Logan County Relay For Life has been an intricate part of the community for over a decade. Held at the Logan County High School Football field each year, members of the community come out to support the fight against cancer. While fighting for the ones we love who have been effected by this disease and also for the ones we don’t know, people have a good time walking the track throughout the evening, eating and enjoying the many activities that go on.

Logan County’s 2012 Relay was a big success, but organizers are striving for an even bigger success in 2013. Last year their were 23 teams signed up, this year’s goal is 30. A team can consist of any group of people willing to help the American Cancer Society (ACS) fight cancer. Teams are asked to be between 8 and 15 members. Each member will be responsible for raising $100. You will have plenty of time to accomplish this task as the 2013 Relay is scheduled for June 14.

The 2013 Logan County Relay for Life theme is “Stayin Alive,” which will feature all the wonders of the 1970s.

Anyone can get together a team. All it takes is someone who wants to help fight against cancer, someone who doesn’t mind raising $100 either through individual fundraising or team fund raising, and someone who wants to have a lot of fun.

Church teams can take the opportunity to have a Relay team and reach out to the community that is affected by cancer while they are supporting their own survivors. Church teams find that through this event it can bring a wonderful fellowship along with having a positive impact with the community. The spiritual impact of cancer is just as important as the physical impact. Churches in Logan County this past year were First Baptist, New Vision Community Church, First Presbyterian, Russellville Christian Church, Stuarts Chapel Methodist, United Methodist Temple and Walnut Grove Baptist.

Businesses that support Relay teams and fundraising within their workforce prove to employees that they genuinely care about what their employees care about. This can build morale which in turn can boost work productivity. Also, what a way to show those employees who are survivors that you are not only supporting a cause in their name, but that they care about the community that supports them! Businesses such as Logan Memorial Hospital, Logan Aluminum, Logan Telephone, Cates Cabinets, Emerson, First Southern National Bank, Lewisburg Bank, City of Russellville, Logan Family Practice, PRECC, Tim Haley Auctions, and Ventra Plastics can see firsthand what supporting teams in their workplace can accomplish.

Schools have a huge opportunity to teach students that what they do can affect their community and it teaches that a single person can make a difference and together, we can have make a tremendous impact on those around us. ACS also has information available that can teach kids from an early age through proper nutrition, exercise, sunscreen, and staying smoke free they can play an active role in reducing their chances of getting cancer. The school teams this past year were Lewisburg Elementary and RHS Beta.

Friends and Family teams are such a wonderful asset to Relay For Life. These are teams that are formed in the name of loved ones who are being honored or remembered. What a way to pay a respect to those loved ones! There were two wonderful Friends and Family teams with Angel Stars, and B’s Peas, They would love to have so many more of these teams that want to take it to a personal level in fighting for their loved ones!

“Even through the pain of losing those so close to us, and caring for those who have won the fight, all teams can look around and see that we are making a difference in the fight against cancer through fundraising for the Relay For Life,” said Terrie Lawson American Cancer Society, Mid-South Division, Inc. Community Representative.

The 2013 Logan County Relay For Life chairs are :

Event Chair: Melynda Riley

Team Development: Rebecca Ferguson

Team Recruitment: Laura Jaynes

Accounting: Maria Lawson and Darlene Anderson

Online: Kige Ramsey and Pete Lawson

Logistics: Daniel Gaston, Brad Rogers, Bubba Lynch and Carey Morphew

Survivors: Beth Clark, Susannah Nelson, Kim McDaniel

Sponsorship: Teresa Aaron

T-shirts: Barbara Wood

Program: Sandy Drake

Luminaria: Debbie York and Tina Smith

Publicity: Chris Cooper

If you cannot make the Oct. 12 Team Sign-up at Russellville High School, you will still have a chance to join again on Nov. 18 at the Chamber of Commerce Christmas Open House. However, if you wait till then, it will cost you a $50 registration per team instead of the $10 registration fee on Oct. 12.

Team Captain meetings will begin Jan. 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the cafeteria in Logan Memorial Hospital.