Another big year expected for Relay for Life

Vestavia Hills High School is known for being the top in many fields, but what some may not know is the school also hosts the largest student-led Relay for Life event in the country.

“Which is a huge accomplishment, especially being from small-town Alabama,” said Malinda Shackleford, who is Vestavia’s community manager for the American Cancer Society.

Last year, the event and associated fundraising efforts raised more than $275,000, a total Shackleford said she expects will be easily matched this year, and between 500 and 1,000 people are expected to attend the April 22 Relay event.

As of early March, Shackleford said there were more than 80 teams registered to participate in the event, and dozens of groups and sponsors are planning booths and tents.

Throughout the year, students and volunteers have been working and hosting various fundraising events including T-shirt sales, a princess breakfast, bake sales, concerts, a Sadie Hawkins dance and more to add to the money raised at the actual event.

VHHS also won an inflatable arch for being one of the top 10 events to have the most growth in registrations between Jan. 16 and Jan. 22.

Like all Relay for Life events, VHHS’s night and associated fundraising efforts will benefit cancer services and programs both locally and across the country.

“Research is a huge component of that,” Shackleford said. Much of what VHHS raises goes to research efforts just down the street at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Additionally, local Relay for Life efforts also benefit the society’s Joe Lee Griffin Hope Lodge.

The lodge, named in memory of a longtime society volunteer and cancer patient whose children go to VHHS, gives patients going through treatment a “home away from home” in downtown Birmingham, providing housing and support throughout their time in treatment.

The VHHS Relay for Life event is at the school on April 22, with events beginning in the afternoon and continuing throughout the evening.

Teams will have different fundraisers with games and activities. More activities for children, food, live bands and a three-on-three basketball tournament also are planned.

A traditional luminaria ceremony is scheduled to remember those lost and those still fighting cancer. The survivor dinner is at 5 p.m., and all cancers survivors are invited for a free meal to get to know other survivors, fellowship and celebrate with one another.

For more information, contact Shackleford at malinda.shackelford@cancer.org, or go to the VHHS Relay for Life webpage at main.acsevents.org.