Relay For Life^® of West Salem.

Are you ready for Relay?  The big event is right around the corner, and soon people throughout the community will come together to help celebrate survivors, remember those lost to cancer, and fight back against the disease at the Relay For Life of West Salem. 

Teams have been working hard to raise funds and awareness to help the American Cancer Society and its lifesaving efforts - but it's not too late to be part of the Relay.   If you want to form a team, invite others to join, raise funds, or attend the event itself, there is still time!  You can get more information by contacting Lori Francis by phone at 608-783-5001 x103 or via e-mail at lori.francis@cancer.org. 

Those planning to be part of this year's Relay will find information about the event below:  

Relay for Life of West Salem April 4-5, 2008

1.  When To Arrive

 2.  What to bring to Relay

• Pillow and blankets
• Clothes/props for theme laps
• Make-up/female clothing for Dude Looks Like a Lady & male clothing for Macho Woman Contests
• Cards/Games
• Money for team fundraisers & food
• Athletic shoes for walking and playing tournaments
• Camera
• Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for your team
• Stuff to decorate your team site please use blue painter’s tape if you will be hanging anything on the walls (this is a request from WS High School)
• Pick-a-prize team theme basket for drawing 

3.  Review Event Ground Rules

• No alcohol or tobacco allowed at Relay
• Food & beverages only allowed in commons area
• No tents
• Participants under 18 must have a permission slip on file at registration to enter the Relay For Life.
• All rules of the West Salem School District & West Salem High School are to be followed throughout the Relay. 

4.  Food Court

Each Relay For Life team will have the opportunity to set up a table in the Food Court in the commons area. Donations received from food sales will be applied to your team fundraising total. Please reserve your table ASAP if you would like to sell any food items by calling Lisa Betsinger at 786-1536,e-mail: bububearzmom@yahoo.com.   Don’t forget to bring your money so you can purchase some of the wonderful food offerings!    

**Also, each Survivor will receive a $5.00 coupon to use at the food court again this year as a special way to honor them.  All teams participating in the food court MUST honor these coupons.   If your item is not $5.00, then you will need to cross out the $5.00 on the ticket and write the remaining amount left on the Survivor’s ticket.   Teams will not be reimbursed for the tickets.   The Planning Committee thanks you for your support in honoring our Survivors!  

5.  Theme Laps

Prizes will be awarded to the participant that is the best dressed for each theme lap. Don’t forget to bring costumes and/or props for each theme lap.  2008 theme laps will include:

• 12:00am -12:45am                     “Walking on Sunshine” Lap (Beachwear)
•  1:00am 1:45am                      “Walk like an Egyptian” Lap (Egyptian theme)
•   2:00am - 2:45am                       “Walk the Line” Lap (Country Western theme)
•  3:00am - 3:45am                       “Walking in a Winter Wonderland” Lap (winter wonderland)
•  4:00am - 4:45am                       “Walking After Midnight” Lap (Pajama Theme)  

6.  Team Theme Basket Competition & Pick-a-prize Drawing

This year we are asking each team to put together a gift basket for our Pick-A-Prize Drawing.   Each basket should have some kind of theme to it.  The baskets will be displayed and bid on with tickets at the event.  A ticket will then be drawn for the winner of each basket, and winners will be announced at the closing ceremony.  The proceeds from the baskets will be added up, divided evenly, and credited to each team that participates. If your team does not create a basket for the Pick-A-Prize Drawing, your team will not receive any of the proceeds towards your team fund-raising total.  If your team creates more than one basket for the raffle, you will still only receive one cut of the proceeds.  

 ** This year you will be able to “vote” for your favorite basket by placing a quarter in the container next to the basket each quarter will count as one vote (ie:  if you place $1 in the container, it counts as 4 “votes”.   The team basket with the most “votes” (money) will receive a special award /gift.

We are also asking for teams to sign up for an hour to cover the Pick-a-prize drawing table and sell tickets.   A sign-up sheet will be available at Bank Night.

Relay Reminders: 

1. 1.  Bank Night:  Tuesday, April 1, 2008 from 5:30-7:30 at the West Salem Elementary School Assembly Room.  Please turn in all funds you have collected up to this date.  This helps gives us a head start for registration. If you have most of your team’s packets by this day, go ahead and bring them in. The remaining team members can always add theirs to your team the night of the event. If possible, please get a money order or cashiers check for any cash donations you receive. Having less cash at our Relay helps make the event safer.   
2. Permission Slips:  All Relay participants under the age of 18 will need to have a signed permission slip and also Chaperones at the event.  I have extra copies of the permission slips available if you need them. 
3. Luminaria Sales Please remember to keep Luminaria money separate from your team donations.   The proceeds from the sale of Luminarias do not go toward your team fundraising goal, but they do count for the overall goal for the event!   Luminaria sales will end at 8:30 pm on Friday, April 9, in order for us to set up for the Luminaria ceremony.
4. Survivor invites Survivor Invites are available for you to send to any cancer survivors that you know to invite them to take part in our event.

• Opening Ceremony, including Survivors' Lap- 7:00pm, Friday, April 4
• Luminaria Ceremony - 9:00pm, Friday, April 4
• Closing Ceremony - 6:00am, Saturday, April 5

 If you have any questions, please contact your Online Chair, Stephanie Macdonald at stessiemac@gmail.com or 608-488-4010.  Or contact your American Society Staff Partner at lori.francis@cancer.org or call 608-783-5000, option #3. Thanks for being a part of Relay For Life!