More than 4,000 people expected to join in on the fight against cancer at annual McKinney Relay for Life event on April 24

Created at 11:05 p.m. on April 23, 2009

People young and old, big and small and from families around McKinney and surrounding areas will once again converge at The Ballfields at Craig Ranch to honor those who are battling and who have lost their battles with cancer for the annual Relay for Life event.

The night-long event is returning to The Ballfields at Craig Ranch, 6151 Alma Road in southwest McKinney, and more than 4,000 people are expected to attend the annual fund-raiser for the American Cancer Soceity.

Relay for Life includes teams of eight to 15 members who gather in tents and sleeping bags to spend the night at locations throughout the nation to raise money by selling food or crafts to help find a cure for cancer and support caregiver programs.

Now in its eighth year in McKinney, more than 4,000 people, 154 teams and 250 cancer survivors participated in last year’s city wide event. The 2008 Relay raised $443,000 for cancer research and patient and caregiver programs. The total raised in the last seven years in McKinney is now more than $2 million.

The opening ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. with an invocation from the Rev. John Mollet, senior pastor of Stonebridge United Methodist Church , followed by a welcome announcement from Texas State Senator Florence Shapiro. 

Platinum level ($10,000) sponsor representatives Jason Prado, general manager of Lonestar Pontiac GMC, and Dr. Carrie Alfieri, board member of McKinney Community Development Corporation (MCDC), will also make announcements.  At 7:45 p.m. City Council member and Mayor Pro Tem Bill Cox will begin the special Survivor and Caregivers laps to honor the survivors and caregivers who have had and watched over those who suffer from cancer. These survivors and caregivers walk the first lap of the evening, officially beginning the 2009 Relay For Life of McKinney.

The evening will include a variety of dancers, singers, bands and other entertainment on-stage as well as themes spirit laps, Guitar Hero contests, karaoke, a dance party and many more fun activities that will keep participants in the Relay spirit throughout the night.  The event will conclude at 6 a.m. with the closing ceremony and awards presentation.

“As McKinney ’s largest philanthropic event, we like to include a wide variety of activities and entertainers to keep participants engaged throughout the 12-hour Relay,” said RFL McKinney Chair Sharon Laird. “We want everyone in the community to know that this is their event. Everyone is welcome to come out and participate in the entertainment activities throughout the evening.”

If anyone is interested in serving as a volunteer during the event, they can register by sending an e-mail to mrflvolunteers@yahoo.com.

Information on how to become involved in Relay For Life of McKinney, please visit www.rflmckinney.com or contact Sharon Laird at Sharon.laird@ca.com.  For more information on the American Cancer Society, please visit www.cancer.org or call the American Cancer Society’s 24-hour help line at 1-800-ACS-2345