Relay kickoff moved to Rockmart Church of Christ on Monday night

The Polk County Relay for Life is holding their 2015 Relay kickoff event coming up on Monday, Nov. 3 in Rockmart.

Organizers are gathering at the Rockmart Church of Christ at 6 p.m. for the annual event to rally team organizers and volunteers around the start of fundraising season for cancer research.

Free food will be served during the kickoff event, according to Regina Gentry, one of the organizers of the event.

“We really want to get teams and survivors signed up early for this year’s relay,” she said. “We’re especially interested in getting more cancer survivors involved in this year’s event so we can get them involved with the fight against cancer, even if it is just so they can participate in the victory lap.”

She said this year’s Relay for Life is being held at the Polk County Fairgrounds just outside of Cedartown off Highway 27 so the event can accommodate more people and teams.

“We were thrilled to be able to have the event at the high school this year, but we’re excited to be partnering with the Exchange club and use the fairgrounds for 2015.”

The 2014 Relay for Life had 42 teams participate in Polk County, and already 16 teams are signed up to walk, scheduled for May 2, 2015.

Those teams from this past Relay raised more than $68,000 this year, reaching their goal. Gentry and organizers are hoping this coming year’s teams will not only help reach their upcoming goal – yet to be set – and surpass it.

Gentry said teams are being allowed to sign up for free this year by the American Cancer Society in hopes of getting more participants involved.

Polk County’s Relay for Life is one among 5,000 events worldwide that helps raise money for the American Cancer Society to promote research toward a cure.

Originally the kickoff event was scheduled to be held at Victory Baptist Church in Fish Creek, but was moved because of the upcoming election on Nov. 4.