Relay for Life smashes target

The generosity of Northlanders has again amazed the Cancer Society with its target of $120,000 from the weekend’s Relay for Life in Whangārei well and truly topped.

Charli Timms, Northland regional manager for the Cancer Society, said more than 600 people did laps of Whangārei’s Trigg Arena on Saturday and Sunday for the annual Relay For Life fundraiser.

Timms said the aim of the event was to raise $120,000, but that had already been bettered — it was at $122,000 yesterday afternoon — with more donations still to come in.“We have well and truly beaten that target. It’s amazing and the people of Northland are just so generous,” she said.

“Relay for Life is particularly special for the Northland community and people get really involved in it.

There are just so many giving [people] in Northland.”

Last year’s Relay raised more than $80,000 in Whangārei.

Relay for Life is one of the Cancer Society’s major fundraisers of the year. Te Rarawa, in the Far North, held it relay earlier in the month.

The Whangārei event started on Saturday afternoon and finished at 10am yesterday and Timms said apart from a bit of rain ahead of the start and some overnight,conditions for the relay were generally fine.

The community fundraising event is full of energy and emotion. The first lap is led by those who had or have cancer and the loving people who care for them.

To honour those who had or have cancer and remember those lost, the track is decorated with glowing candle bags dedicated to loved ones. ● For more info go to https:/ /relayforlife.org.nz/northland

Photos / Michael Cunningham The first lap of the Relay for Life 2024 at Trigg Arena, Kensington, is always ‘the “Survivors” lap by those who have overcome cancer. INSET: Twotime cancer survivor Ria Kaire, from Whangārei, and friend Linda Radford, who has lost many family members to cancer, took part

Breast cancer Survivor Dawn Hugh clears the path for Rodger Spice, from Whangārei, who lost his wife to cancer 10 years ago and is a regular at the Relay for Life.

The Cancer Society's “Golden Girls and Boys team” were all set for the Relay for Life on Saturday.