Relay for Life set for May 6 at fairgrounds

Get ready, get set, get walking to help fight cancer.

The 2017 Polk County Relay for Life is coming up in just over a month and organizers are asking local participants to mark their calendars for May 6, 2017.

The annual event will continue at the Polk County Fairgrounds this year, and is free to all.

Organizers have set the schedule to start at 4:30 p.m. with the survivor dinner, with the official kickoff at 6 p.m., survivor laps are at 6:15 p.m., followed by the caregiver lap at 6:20. Luminary are set to be lit in a ceremony at 10 p.m.

The closing ceremony will take place at midnight.

Regina Gentry, who is helping with organizing the annual event, said teams are already getting out in the community to start up fundraisers, and teams can sign up as soon as the day of the event.

“We’ll be having the jail fundraiser continue on through the event this year, being organized by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office,” he said. “Then we have the kiss a pig contest, where prominent people will be expected to give a pig a kiss when they are nominated this year.”

She said those who want to get out of jail, or get out of kissing a pig when nominated, have to raise money for the Relay for Life. Those who wish to raise money to get a local luminary to pucker up for a pig can do so on Facebook.com/ACSRelayForLifePolkCountyGA/.

Other contests include the Mr. Relay beauty contest for men, the Purple Toilet fundraiser in front yards starting on April 1, and more.

Performances during the event will include Isaac Streetman and Hope Cassity.

For more information or to start a team, check out relayforlife.com/polkga.