Each year, teams from around the community join together to help raise funds for Relay For Life – a national event aimed to honor cancer survivors and remember lost loved ones, while raising awareness and financial support for the American Cancer Society.

This Saturday and Sunday, the annual Turlock Relay For Life will take place at the Dutcher Middle School track.

The Relay for Life movement raises more than $400 million every year for the American Cancer Society, which uses the donated funds for cancer research. The funds are also used by the American Cancer Society to provide free information and services to cancer patients and their caregivers.

Although Relay is a 24 hour event, the special ceremonies and times for the Turlock Relay for Life are listed as follows:

– Opening Ceremony, 8:30 a.m. Saturday
– Survivors Lap, 9 a.m. Saturday
– Luminaria Ceremony, 9 p.m. Saturday
– Fight Back Ceremony (Time Not Listed)
– Closing Ceremony Sunday morning

The 2013 Turlock Relay For Life currently has 66 teams participating, with nearly 800 participants. Together, the teams and participating community members have raised $124,163.17 thus far.

The 2012 Turlock Relay For Life raised $169,017 with 70 participating teams and 1,032 participants.

Each year, top fundraising teams and individuals are awarded. The Rebecca Beard Award is also presented during the Luminaria ceremony to an individual who has gone above and beyond in volunteering for the event and exhibits a strong dedication to the event’s cause.

The Turlock Relay For Life will be held at the Dutcher Middle School track, located at 1441 Colorado Ave. in Turlock.

To learn more about the Turlock Relay for Life, visit
http://relay.acsevents.org/site/TR?fr_id=49146&pg=entry.