Local Relays for Life this weekend

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The American Cancer Society’s annual Relay for Life events will take place this weekend for the local area.

The Shelton and Naugatuck Valley Relay for Life, which includes Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, will take place at the Shelton Riverwalk and Farmers Market, 118 Canal St, Shelton. The relay begins at 2 p.m. Saturday and runs through 7:30 a.m. Sunday.

The Greater Waterbury Relay for Life, which includes Prospect, will be held at Crosby High School, 300 Pierpont Road, Waterbury from 2 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday.

Both events are fundraisers for the American Cancer Society. According to the society’s website, the Waterbury event has raised approximately $144,000 and the Naugatuck Valley event has raised approximately $51,000 so far.

The fundraising continues throughout the event.

“Some teams do most of their fundraising prior to the event, but most hold fundraisers at their camp sites during relay,” a press release for the Naugatuck Valley event said.

Both events are held overnight as teams camp out with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track at all times.

In addition to the opening ceremony both events will feature a survivors lap for those who have survived cancer, a caregivers lap for those who cared for people with cancer, and a luminaria ceremony to remember those who passed away from cancer.

Luminaria bags can also be purchased the day of relays for $5 per bag.

The Naugatuck Valley relay is hosting a canned food drive in hopes of using the cans to hold the bags down while illuminated. After the event, the cans will be donated to the St. Vincent De Paul Society and Shelton Spooner House.

According to a press release from the Naugatuck Valley relay, the event will include a Zumba class, a watermelon eating contest, karaoke, and a midnight movie.

“Relay for Life is a unique opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate people who have battled cancer, remember those we’ve lost and fight back against the disease,” Shelton and Naugatuck Valley’s 2014 Relay for Life Event Co-Chair Kristen Ostrowski said.

For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org to find the homepage for each relay.