Aubuchon Strong

The seventh annual Cape Coral Relay for Life is planned for April 4-5 at Mariner High School at the corner of Chiquita Boulevard and Tropicana Parkway.

For 18 hours, participants will walk around the high school’s track raising money to beat cancer. Relay for Life opens as cancer survivors or anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer walk or ride in a wheelchair for the first lap. Along with plenty of games and activities for children and live music, team members entertain each other with food, games and of course, making laps around the track.

This year’s theme is “Movie Magic Making the Cure Come True.” This year organizers are hoping for 95 teams to participate. So far, 45 teams have registered Last year’s event raised around $260,000 but this year organizers have lowered the bar due to the downturn in the economy. The goal is $200,000.

This year’s focus is colon cancer which is the number one preventable cancer. This year’s Memorial chairs are Christopher Ferrer, 42, Cape Coral Community Bank founder, who died of brain cancer last year. The other chair is Mary Hopkins, a former Skyline Elementary School teacher and co-author of a teacher book. She also died of cancer last year.

Sponsors and volunteers are needed.

Those wanting more information or to sign up for the event can register at www.events.cancer.org/rflcapecoralFla. Those wanting to make a donation can call Mary Ellen O’Toole at 699-2231.