American Cancer Society Relay For Life: A Guide To Relay
Table of Contents
- The Relay For Life Philosophy
- Relay For Life In Photos
- Celebration and Rememberance
- What is your favorite part of Relay For Life?
- Why I Relay by JenOfChicago
- Fundraising Ideas For Your Relay For Life Team
- More Ideas for Relay For Life Fundraising
- Relay For Life Team Themes
- More Ideas for Relay For Life Team Themes
- Decorate Your Campsite
- Relay For Life Videos
- American Cancer Society In The News
- Follow Relay For Life on Twitter!
- Latest News From The American Cancer Society
- Books About Cancer Survival on Amazon
- Share Your Thoughts...
- Please visit my other Relay-related lenses
- About Me
- Love This Lens?
The Relay For Life Philosophy
Why We Relay: Cancer Never Sleeps

Relay For Life In Photos
Flickr photos from Relay teams around the country
Celebration and Rememberance
What Happens At A Relay Event
Each Relay is organized by the local community, so each Relay is unique and different. However, most Relay events have some elements in common.Decoration - Teams set up campsites with decorations around their team's theme. For example, "I Scream You Scream We All Scream For A Cure" might have an ice cream themed campsite. A team made up of bowling team buddies, "Strike Out Cancer" might have bowling themed decorations. Teams get as creative as they want, and there's often a decoration contest.
Survivor / Caregiver Ceremony - The Survivor and Caregiver Ceremony recognizes the people at Relay who have battled or are currently battling cancer. Their names are read, and they receive a small gift, such as a medal or pin recognizing their achievement. They are given a flower or other token to give to their caregiver. Then, survivors and caregivers have the honor of walking the first lap around the Relay track.
Luminaria Ceremony - The Luminaria Ceremony recognizes those who have been lost to cancer, as well as those who are survivors and fighters. Family and friends can purchase luminaria with the name of their loved on printed on them. The Luminaria Ceremony happens just after the sun goes down and it is dark. There is a ceremonial lighting of the luminaria candles by family and friends, and the names of those remembered are read aloud.
Games, Music and More - Relay events are fun for the whole family! Local communities may plan their own unique activities, but there is usually a DJ with music playing, games for the kids, and snacks and drinks. Karaoke, face painting, dunk tanks and bouncy castles are common activities at Relay.
Sunrise Ceremony / Final Lap- In the morning, there is a sunrise ceremony and final lap from all of the participants. At the conclusion of the lap, the top team names are announced.
Why I Relay by JenOfChicago
My Relay Story
My family started Relaying the year after my grandmother died of cancer. We didn't know much about Relay, but we had heard there was a cancer-fighting event in our hometown, so we went to the park the night it was being held and checked it out. It was such a fun, uplifting, hopeful event, and we decided that we would form a team and participate next year. Our first year, we didn't know what to expect, but we ended up being one of the top fundraising teams for our Relay! Since then, we've participated in the Relay For Life of Norridge, IL for nine years, and raised nearly $50,000 as a team. If you would like to donate to my team this year, please visit
my personal fundraising page.
Fundraising Ideas For Your Relay For Life Team
Raise the money!
Check out these page for ideas on how to raise money for your Relay For Life Team.
- Fabulous Fall Fundraising Ideas for Schools, Scouts and Service Organizations - Associated Content
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- Raffles - A Variety of Fundraising Choices By Kimberly Reynolds Here are some raffle ideas for raising money for your group.
More Ideas for Relay For Life Fundraising
Due to popular demand, I've created a separate page with 20 fundraising ideas for your Relay For Life team - check it out below!-
Relay For Life Fundraising Ideas
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You've signed up your team, gathered your friends and family to help, now comes the hard part - raising money! This lens will give you tips about how to raise money for your Relay For Life team.
Relay For Life Team Themes
What will your team's theme be?
Make your theme fun, personal, and significant to your team! Here are some ideas for American Cancer Society Relay For Life themes for your team.School and University Themes - Fighting Irish Fight Cancer, Wisconsin Warriors War Against Cancer
Holiday Themes - Christmas In July, Halloween Spooks Cancer, Winter Wonderland
Hobby Themes - Knitting For A Cure, Clowning Against Cancer, Poker Players For A Cure
Sports Themes - Bat Away Cancer, Bowl For A Cure, Touchdown For Cancer-Fighters
Food Themes - Ice Scream For A Cure, Serving Up A Cure, Cookies For Cancer Research
Work and Professional Themes - Manicurists For A Cure, Salon Cuts Against Cancer, Fighterfighters Fight Cancer
Entertainment Themes - Rock Against Cancer, Cancer-fighting Superheroes, Dance For A Cure, Luau For A Cure, Pirates Fight Cancer
More Ideas for Relay For Life Team Themes
Due to popular demand, I've created an entire page of Relay For Life Team Theme Ideas - give it a visit!-
Relay For Life Team Theme Ideas
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Welcome! If you've found this page, you've probably already signed up for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, gathered your friends and family to help raise money and walk, now you need a fun team theme! This lens will provide you will ideas...
Decorate Your Campsite
Match Your Team Theme With These Decorations At Your Campsite!
Rock & Roll Cutouts and Elvis Poster Decorations
If you're going with a sock hop or rock and roll theme, pick up these decorations for your Relay campsite!
Wholesale Luau Party Supplies in a Box Lot -Table Skirt, Leis, Tattoos, Straws, Decorations & More!) All New Updated Items Added 9/15
Hawaiian or Luar themed cancer fighting team? You'll need these Luau Party supplies to bring some island spirit to your team!
Pirates Centerpiece
Shiver me timbers, is that a pirate themed Relay team I see?
Relay For Life Videos
User-submitted videos on YouTube from Relayers across the country
American Cancer Society In The News
- More on what breast cancer treatment should be -- and what it often is
- And here's information from the American Cancer Society about various surgeries for breast cancer, explaining breast-conserving surgery, or lumpectomy, ...
- Stress From Prostate Cancer Diagnosis May Be Fatal
- ... according to the report published online Dec. 14 in the journal PLoS Medicine. The American Cancer Society has more about prostate cancer.
- American Cancer Society Joins Call for More Information About Changes to ...
- 15 (AScribe Newswire) -- The American Cancer Society, California Division today joined Assemblymember Pedro Nava in calling on the Department of Public ...
- Milk thistle shows potential -- documented potential -- in helping cancer patients
- And here's additional information on milk thistle from the American Cancer Society, plus a rundown from the National Center for Complementary and ...
Follow Relay For Life on Twitter!
Ideas, tips, tricks and more from the ACS Relay For Life

- aka Twitter
- 0 followers
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- New Birthday App for iPhone and iPod Touch: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/more-birthdays/id339079926?mt=8
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- New Relay For Life social networking application released today: http://www.RelayForLife.org/relay/pal
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- Update on the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" Relay in Davidson County, NC: http://www.RelayForLife.org/relay/emhe
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- Relay event to be held during Extreme Makeover: Home Edition TOMORROW - http://www.relayforlife.org/relay/emhe
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- 12 minutes left for the $50,000 contest - donate at http://www.causes.com/americancancersociety
Latest News From The American Cancer Society
Fetching RSS feed... please stand byBooks About Cancer Survival on Amazon
Eating Well Through Cancer: Easy Recipes & Recommendations During & After Treatment
Release Date: 09/30/2006
Share Your Thoughts...
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Reply
- Spook Spook Dec 4, 2009 @ 2:37 pm
- My eldest daughter runs every year in the one we have in Cork. Merry Xmas Jen. Blessed by an Angel.
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Reply
- JenOfChicago JenOfChicago Dec 4, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
- Thanks Spook, and Merry Xmas to you too! You might find it funny that my family's Relay team has an Irish theme! :)
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Reply
- JenOfChicago JenOfChicago Jul 28, 2009 @ 3:39 pm | in reply to KimGiancaterino
- Thanks Kim!!
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Reply
- KimGiancaterino KimGiancaterino Jul 27, 2009 @ 3:53 pm
- You've been blessed by a Squid Angel, and this lens was included in Another Day of One Hundred Squid Angel Blessings.
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Reply
- papawu papawu Jul 23, 2009 @ 4:32 pm
- Way to go Jen! Congrats on this one and many more to come, I'm sure. =)
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Please visit my other Relay-related lenses
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Relay For Life Fundraising Ideas
-
You've signed up your team, gathered your friends and family to help, now comes the hard part - raising money! This lens will give you tips about how to raise money for your Relay For Life team.
-
Relay For Life Team Theme Ideas
-
Welcome! If you've found this page, you've probably already signed up for the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, gathered your friends and family to help raise money and walk, now you need a fun team theme! This lens will provide you will ideas...
About Me
Lensmaster JenOfChicago has been a member since September 18 2008, has rated 1,043 lenses, favorited 121, and has created 78 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Alphabet Art, Posters and Prints". See all my lenses






















