Community supports Relay For Life at Lakewood High School
Community supports Relay For Life at Lakewood High School
BY ALLEN A. BUCHANAN, Staff Writer
ST. PETERSBURG — Relay For Life of South St. Petersburg drew hundreds of residents to the Lakewood Spartans football field to walk, jog or run in one of the local fundraisers for cancer research, development and treatment. The event was one of many similar activities in the Tampa Bay area and around the country last weekend for the American Cancer Society.
The April 22 event in south St. Pete featured 22 teams and 200 participants that helped raise a total of S17, 607.92. The top teams and companies included the Mt. Zion Progressive Zionites ($5,115.18), Victory Lane ($4,874.90), Eta Rho Ques ($1,500), Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. ($309.11) and Alpha Phi Alpha Sorority ($240.76). The top three participants were Debra Short, Rod Green and Lise Amundrud.
The Relay For Life movement began back in the mid-1980s when Dr. Gordy Klatt circled the track field at Baker Stadium in Tacoma, Wash., for 24 hours and raised $27,000 to fight cancer. His friends chipped in by $25 to run or walk with him for 30 minutes. The following year the event expanded to 19 teams and the rest is history.
Presently, you can still donate to Relay For Life of South St. Petersburg by contacting Avis Carter at (727) 488-3187. Carter is currently out of town due to the passing of her father, but will be returning to the area shortly.
In addition, people can contribute up until May 19 by going to the Relay For Life website at relay.acsevents.org
