The American Cancer Society's (ACS) annual "Relay for Life" continues its shift into high gear as over 40 teams from throughout the county pursue the gleaming trophy for top team to be presented at the May 10-11 event, slated for the Butler County Fairgrounds.

Perhaps the biggest news on the road to the Relay is the impending arrival of the Celebration Bus' in Greenville on Saturday, May 4. "Mark your calendars, everyone," says Butler County ACS Chair Joan Reynolds. "This bus is traveling from New York City to Washington, D.C. to promote a huge September 18th rally in the Washington Mall to raise cancer awareness…Juanita Poole and I are planning to go as ambassadors and we are very excited.

"This special bus is only stopping in a handful of cities in Alabama so this is a very big event for Greenville. Local dignitaries and the media will all be there-and we encourage lots of people to turn out and support this event," Reynolds urges.

The bus will leave a local motel at 8:45 a.m., loaded with ACS board members and Relay team captains, and will then journey to the Acme location on the Greenville By-Pass where it will remain from 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. Breakfast will be available for $3 at Acme with funds raised going toward Relay for Life.

Another big event tied to the relay is the annual Survivors Luncheon to be held at the First Baptist Fellowship Hall on Friday morning, May 10 at 11:30 a.m. Entertainment will be provided by musician (and Greenville native) Randy Foster,

and Montgomery radio and television personality Leslie Bailey. All cancer patients, survivors and their spouses are encouraged to attend this event. For more information, contact Vivian Killingsworth at 382-2483 or Caroline Ryan at 382-8301.

Luminary Chairperson Ethelyn Watson would like to remind everyone about the luminary forms (which ran in the April 17th edition of the Advocate). At a minimum cost of $5 each, these can be purchased to honor or memorialize a loved one who has, or is, battling cancer.

A special luminary ceremony is slated for 9 p.m. the evening of relay.

Musical entertainment during the service will be provided by soloist Patricia Ballew and a group of Fort Dale Academy fifth graders performing "God Bless the USA". Scheduled speakers are Dr. Paul Wolfe and Reverend Jeff Gaylor.

Plenty of entertainment is lined up for the Relay, notes Reynolds. "Of course, we have the Miss' Relay Pageant, talent contest and swing dance contest…but there are also vocalists and bands to take us til two a.m. and later, perhaps. This is a six a.m. to six p.m. event so we hope many teams will bring their sleeping bags, cards and dominoes and take turns staying up

and stay with us until the end," she adds.

The title sponsor for the ACS's premier fundraising event is Pioneer/Acme.