Plant City High School was flooded with attendees as people flocked to take part in the 20th annual Relay for Life in Plant City.
The event originally began in 1998, 13 years after the very first Relay was held in Tacoma, Washington. Fundraising begins in September each year with the event generally held in April. Donations are usually accepted into August of each year. Many local schools participate with the event and are constantly some of the largest donors for the organization.
In the past seven years alone, Plant City’s Relay for Life has raised more than $1.874 million and as a whole has given more than $3 million to the American Cancer Society since 1998. The group uses the money for cancer research and services and programs for those diagnosed with the disease.
This year’s honorary survivor was Kim Curran, who used her speech to talk about finding hope in the little moments of life we experience every day. She said she hopes those who heard her walked away with the comforting knowledge that this community was there to support them through this trying time.