Relay for Life being planned

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Woodbury has one, Hastings has one and now Cottage Grove will have one.

Community members will hold Cottage Grove’s first Relay for Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, in Cottage Grove this summer.

“When I saw Woodbury had it, I thought it was time Cottage Grove had it,” said Natalie Seim, chairperson of the event.

The Cottage Grove Area Relay for Life will take place on Friday and Saturday July 13 and 14 at the Cottage Grove Junior High track. The event will start at 6 p.m. and end at 6 a.m.

The event’s planning committee is hosting a kickoff meal at the Cottage Grove Junior High cafeteria at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, March 19.

Interested parties will be able to discuss the Relay and form teams. Coordinators will also be providing pizza.

Teams can register at the event as well.

Teams can include eight to 15 people and the registration fee is $150. The fee includes a Relay T-shirt for each team member.

After being set up, teams can choose a name and begin fundraising.

Team members can sell luminaries, which are bags with a candle inside that will line the track at the event. As it gets dark, the candles are lit.

People can decorate luminaries in memory of cancer survivors or those who have died from it.

“I think it’s a neat thing,” Seim said. “It’s time to bring it to Cottage Grove.”

Seim said the committee is looking for area cancer survivors to take part in the survivor walk that takes place at the beginning of the event.

“It’s amazing, the support that people are given that have cancer,” Seim said, “and to honor people that have died.”

Seim has some members on the planning committee, but is also looking for other volunteers to help organize the event.

For more information about the Cottage Grove Area Relay for Life, visit www.cgrelayforlife.com or e-mail Seim at natalie@cgrelayforlife.com.

Kieren Sell can be reached at ksell@swcbulletin.com