MAHANOY CITY - With "fight back" as part of the theme for this year's Relay For Life of Northern Schuylkill County, participants raised $37,685 during the weekend for the American Cancer Society.
The eighth annual event, with the theme "Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back," took place Saturday through Sunday at the Mahanoy Area High School football complex.
Money raised goes directly to the battle against cancer, helping with patient services, research, prevention education and advocacy efforts.
Giving some highlights of the weekend, Don Dudash, an organizer for the event who has been part of it since the beginning, said that one man, John Lawrence, Mahanoy City, walked 75 miles.
"That is a major undertaking," Dudash said. "Over the past couple years he has done a total of 260 miles overall."
Dudash also said that the biggest fundraiser was City Shirt Co., Frackville, which raised more than $13,500, while the Gilberton Methodist Church team had a personal best, raising $4,600.
With the warm temperatures during the weekend, he said, there was a great turnout.
The event disc jockey, JB Sound, Frackville, stayed for the entire 26 hours and there were 70 survivors served at a dinner on Saturday night and breakfast on Sunday, all provided free.
"Once again we're definitely looking for additional teams for next year and for more people to get involved," Dudash said.
