Annual cancer fundraiser facing shortage of registrants in Penticton

PENTICTON – Changes are in the works to this year’s Penticton Relay for Life as organizers deal with a shortage of registrants.

“We have not reached our goal for teams registered and want to leave no stone unturned in our efforts to gain awareness for the most important event in our annual calendar,” Relay for Life organizer Jen Dies says.

The Canadian Cancer Society has a new format of the Relay for Life, taking place on Saturday, May 30, in Penticton this year.

The main difference with this year’s relay is it is no longer an all night event. The relay, traditionally a 12-hour event, will start at 11 a.m. this year and finish with the survivor’s lap at 11 p.m. with a luminary ceremony to commemorate those no longer with us.

The change in time from being an overnight event to daytime was done with the hopes of making it easier for participants to register and commit.

“The event is a fundraiser, we need the people in order to make it successful. We need an event that works for our community members,” said Dies.

A call for volunteers has also been issued by the Canadian Cancer Society’s Penticton branch. Eligible volunteers have an opportunity this year to win a four-day mid-week vacation on a 60-foot Genesis houseboat that will sleep up to 18 people. Participants also earn one draw entry for every $300 raised.

Visit the local website to register a team, call Dies at 250-253-3550 or the Penticton office at 250-490-9681 for more information.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Steve Arstad at sarstad@infonews.ca or call 250-488-3065. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.