Remember in December: Relay For Life Luminaria Vigil

Cancer never sleeps. It doesn’t take a holiday. It doesn’t take time off for snow days or coldweather days. It’s 24/7, 365 days a year.

Remembering those that have lost their battle, or are currently fighting, doesn’t stop either. For the seventh year, Relay For Life of DeKalb County will hold a special remembrance vigil for the holiday season. The holidays can be a difficult time when someone has lost a loved one or a close friend or co-worker. Many of those people often were the caregiver to that person. Some of them are battling cancer themselves. During this special time, it’s important to recognize and remember – recognize that the battle hasn’t ended and to remember those that we’ve lost. Our community comes together to be there during these times. And we invite you to join us.

Join us on Thursday, December 6, 2018 for the 7th Annual Relay For Life of DeKalb County Luminaria Vigil. Luminaria will be sold, for $10, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at the Kishwaukee Bible Church Office, 201 W. State Street (across from PJ’s Courthouse). At 7:30 p.m., the vigil will begin by walking with the luminaria to the DeKalb County Courthouse where the luminaria will be placed around the front walkway, followed by a brief ceremony. The ceremony will include time to walk around the luminaria and remember those special people on the luminaria bags.

After the ceremony, we invite those in attendance to return back to the Kishwaukee Bible
Church Office for refreshments.

Luminaria will be available online at the event website, www.relayforlife.org/dekalbil,
through 12:00 p.m., December 6. All luminaria purchased will go towards the Relay For Life of DeKalb County 2019 event and will also be displayed during the event. For questions about the vigil, Relay For Life of DeKalb County, or how you can volunteer or register a team, please go to our website or email dekalbcountyrelayforlife@gmail.com. Questions about the Luminaria Vigil can also be directed to Chris Doe at (815) 901-6530.

Relay For Life, the signature grass roots fundraising event for the American Cancer Society, started in 1985 in Tacoma, WA by a colon surgeon who wanted to make a difference. He ran and walked a track for 24 hours and raised over $27,000.

Today, Relay For Life is in 27 countries and has raised over $6 billion for research and programs. Some of those programs include free wigs for cancer patients, free rides to treatment or appointments through the Road to Recovery program, support groups for men with prostate cancer and women with breast cancer, Patient Support Services including a journal which cancer patients can keep important documents, Patient Lodging Program which includes free nights at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge which is available for patients who are seeking treatment a distance from their home, and (800) ACS-2345 which is a 24-hour phone line staffed by volunteers who are trained in services to provide support and HOPE to cancer patients and their families 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

The Relay For Life of DeKalb County is in its 23rd event season and has raised over $1.5 million in the fight against cancer. The event is led by a group of volunteers from throughout the county, comprised of cancer survivors and caregivers, who assist in teams raising funds for the fight against cancer. Events across the globe go from 24 hours to 4 hours and include a time to celebrate survivors, remember those lost, and time to make a commitment to fight back against something that has touched so many lives.