By Mary Whitfill

Staff Writer

Relay For Life groups continue their fundraisers this weekend in hopes of meeting their $100,000 goal for the ‘birthday party’ themed event to help celebrate those who have battled cancer: and won.

Relay For Life Coppell is an overnight event to begin May 1 at Wagon Wheel Park. The opening ceremonies begin at 5 p.m. and seas of purple will be spotted on the track at 6 p.m. as cancer survivors will wear purple shirts and launch off the event with the first lap.

This year’s Relay For Life theme is ‘birthday party’ as the American Cancer Society has become ‘The Official Sponsor of Birthdays’. Each campsite at Wagon Wheel Park will be decorated in a birthday theme and there will be a large cake to celebrate those who have battled cancer in order to see another birthday.

Following ‘The Survivors Lap’, ‘The Luminaria Ceremony’ will begin after dark where participants will honor those who have been touched by cancer and remember those who have been lost to the disease. Lastly, there will be ‘The Fight Back Ceremony’ where each person in attendance makes a personal commitment to save lives by taking up the fight against cancer.

Around 800 people are participating in Relay For Life Coppell and over 40 teams are participating. Coppell organizations such as HOSA, Coppell Hockey and NHS all have teams dedicated to supporting the cause.

“Everybody really comes together for this,’ senior participant Sara Johnson said. “So many teams are in Coppell and we have all worked really hard to reach this goal.”  

The top raising team for Coppell is ‘Mandi’s Angles’, led by ovarian cancer survivor Mandi Fisher, who have raised $1,590.00 so far.

Fundraisers for the event have been held by different Coppell teams all year including last nights fundraiser supported by Fat Daddy’s Burger House at which 10 percent of all profit went towards Relay For Life. Similarly, tonight at Mooyah’s Burgers 10 percent of profits will be donated, and tomorrow a bake sale, beginning at 10 a.m., will be held in the Ace Hardware parking lot.

In addition to these three events, Coppell teams have partnered up with Papa Murphy’s Pizza and Cici’s Pizza, and will also be having an auction before the relay begins.

For more information on traditional events, click here.