Relay for Life Week in Smyrna-Vinings

This week, join the fight against cancer and meet the founder of Relay for Life right here in Smyrna-Vinings.

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Vinings–Smyrna will be held this Friday, May 31 through Saturday, June 1 at The Lovett School in Vinings. 

As of this Thursday, 32 teams and 428 participants from the Smyrna-Vinings area have raised $76,663.91 to help fund cancer research and find a cure for the disease.

This will be the first ever Relay for Life event held in the community, and residents will have a chance to meet the founder of Relay for Life, Dr. Gordy Klatt.

Klatt, who founded Relay for Life in 1985, is currently undergoing treatment for stomach cancer. He started as one man running around a track to help raise funds for the American Cancer Society. Now Klatt's vision has evolved into a global movement of communities coming together to honor cancer survivors and caregivers, remember loved ones, and fight back against the disease.

Klatt, who lives in Tacoma, Washington, will be making a rare appearance on the East Coast at Relay for Life of Vinings-Smyrna starting 6 p.m. on Friday.

At the May 20 Smyrna City Council meeting, Councilman Ron Fennel presented members of the Relay For Life of Vinings-Smyrna Planning Committee with a Mayoral Proclamation, stating that the week of May 26-June 1 as "Relay For Life Week" in the city of Smyrna.

To register or for more information, please visit http://RelayForLife.org/ViningsSmyrnaGA, visit the community Facebook page, or send a Tweet to John Mello @ForBirthdays.