It's that time of year again

Another season of Relay for Life is about to begin.

Although the committee has been meeting for a couple of months, Tuesday, Jan. 17, is Relay for Life Kick-off 2012 for the entire community.

This year, we will be meeting at the Brazil National Guard Armory beginning at 6:30-8 p.m.

Come prepared to have a blast as we share our new theme and news of some interesting changes for this year's Relay.

Many people have asked, "What is Relay for Life?"

Well, Relay for Life is more than a fundraising event.

Relay for Life a division of the American Cancer Society that is nationally organized, yet community based.

Relay for Life starts nationwide, then breaks down to regions of the country, then divides into states, then areas, and finally counties.

Locally, Relay for Life volunteers are members of our community involved with cancer prevention, education, advocacy, and service all over the county.

We are striving to educate ourselves, our family and friends, and our community about how cancer can be prevented.

We advocate with our state and national congressmen and women for the different ways cancer research can be funded to find new treatments.

As a Relay for Life community, we are cancer survivors and caregivers who want to reach out.

We are learning how cancer can be defeated.

Sadly, we also are learning how to cope when cancer isn't.

We come together because all of us have been touched by cancer in some form.

Maybe it was you that was touched personally. Maybe it was a spouse or a child, a parent or a sibling. Maybe it was a friend or a neighbor.

One thing is certain, cancer has made itself known in Clay County. Relay for Life is here to help.

We are here to serve our community with the hope that cancer can one day be a disease of the past.

Won't you join us?

Become part of a fundraising team, or start a new one. You can learn more at www.relayforlife.org/claycountyin.

We come together when those words, "You have cancer" are heard when what we really want to hear is, "You are cancer free."