It was a hot and sticky Saturday at Knox College, but that didn’t seem to stop Relay for Life participants from showing up and showing their support for the American Cancer Society.
Relay organizer Stacey Dutton says the event raised over $98,000 for the organization this year– a number she says is “above normal” compared to previous years.
Dutton tells WGIL that amidst 26 teams and over 300 participants, an additional attendance statistic came as a pleasant surprise.
“Throughout the whole day, we had 93 survivors that came and checked into our survivor tent,” Dutton says. “That was a huge surprise to hear that final number, that they braved the heat with us.”
New volunteers, a number of new speakers and a collection of supplies for the Iowa City Hope Lodge encompassed the day. Dutton calls the event this year “a success.”
“With the heat we just didn’t know what it was going to entail,” Dutton says. “But our teams worked hard throughout the year and they’ll continue to turn in money into August, which will continue to get us closer to our goal.”
Dutton says that goal is $110,000 and that teams will continue to turn in money through August 15th.
Last year, RFL teams raised over $130,000.