“I don’t know if it’s something you can put into words because it’s so moving,” she said. “It’s the feeling of everyone being there.”
Duarte first got involved with the event when a member of her daughter’s Girl Scout troop died of the disease. The girls are in high school now, but they still take part every year, organizing the luminaria booth, to remember their friend.
Mari Abrams, director of marketing at Glendale Adventist and one of the event’s organizers, said Relay for Life —which in its 25th year takes place in cities across the country — has two main goals: to raise funds for the American Cancer Society and raise awareness about cancer and cancer prevention.
“If we can help educate people and let them know not to put off their mammograms, not to put off their colonoscopy, to stop smoking . . . then we’ve made a difference,” she said.
Last year, the event raised close to $130,000.
Organizers said they don’t expect to meet a goal of $150,000 this year, but expressed excitement at higher enrollment numbers than last year.
“What we are finding is that through the education component, even if this is a down year for us financially, we are increasing our participation,” Abrams said. “So hopefully when the economy gets better, people will be more apt to donate money.”
The event will kick off at 10 a.m. Saturday with opening ceremonies hosted by Mayor Frank Quintero.
Then participants will begin their walk around the track. The goal is for one person from each of the 46 teams to always be making laps, Abrams said.
