2016 Relay for Life delayed for training of new volunteers

The date of the Jackson County Relay For Life is being pushed back as new volunteers step forward to help organize the event, it has been reported.

In June, Melissa Easterberg, community manager of development for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, put out a call for more local volunteers to organize the relay, which had originally been set for Saturday, Aug. 6.

Easterberg said Thursday that two additional volunteers had emailed her with interest in planning the annual event.

With the relay quickly approaching and much planning still left to complete, Easterberg said that the Aug. 6 date is now “off the table.”

“We’re going to reevaluate our options and make a decision for a new date soon,” Easterberg said.

The Jackson County Relay For Life, which benefits the American Cancer Society, has been held in the county for more than 20 years.

The original plan was to hold the survivor’s dinner and then a condensed version of the relay from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. that day at the Jackson Heights High School track.

Three teams have already registered for the event online and have raised more than $2,000 so far, Easterberg said.

To volunteer, contact Easterberg at melissa.easterberg@cancer.org. To view additional details about volunteering, such as descriptions and timelines of all the committees, or to register a team for the event, visit http://relay.acsevents.org and search for the Jackson County event.