Relay For Life raises $42,000

By Carrie A. Mizell

Cancer survivors were celebrated on Friday night at the Trenton High School track as 30 teams gathered to raise funds for the fight against cancer.
Early estimates show $42,000 was raised through the 2012 Gilchrist-Levy Relay For Life. Kyle Stone, community representative for the American Cancer Society North Central Area, said that the event will not be closed out until August, as contributions will continue coming in over the next several weeks.

Survivors and their caregivers walked the first lap to kick-off the Gilchrist-Levy Relay For Life on Friday.

According to Stone, the Gilchrist-Levy Relay For Life is one of the longest standing Relay events in the area and boasts one of the highest retention of team rates in North Central Florida. Eighteen teams have already signed up for the 2013 Relay, Stone explained.
This year 70 individuals at the Gilchrist-Levy Relay For Life signed up to participate in a Cancer Prevention Study (CPS-3). Open to men and women between the ages of 30 and 65 who have no personal history of cancer, the research study is a grassroots study being conducted to help with cancer prevention.
A wrap-up party for the 2012 Relay For Life will be held on June 21 at 6 p.m. at the Trenton Community Center. At that meeting the top fundraising teams will be announced and awards will be presented.
Anyone interested in volunteering to be on the Gilchrist-Levy Relay For Life committee for the 2013 event is asked to contact Kyle Stone at (352) 240-5059 or kyle.stone@cancer.org, or Sandra Holder at (352) 278-1563 or sandraholder@yahoo.com

Team Cornbread, a new team started in memory of Jackie Sheffield who lost his battle with cancer in October 2011, raised over $4,000 for the Relay For Life. Jackie Sheffield’s daughter Rheba designed the popular t-shirts the team sold at the Relay. The shirts featured two hound dogs and said “Tracking Down a Cure.”

Jessie Sanders of Bell sang the National Anthem.

Trenton High School students dressed as Alice in Wonderland. Students are
Julie Harrison, Shawnee Gage, Mandolin Kulp, Maisie Johnson and Amber Cameron.