Relay For Life team captains need to save some very important dates—and get those online team registrations and tent reservations done ASAP. 

So said team recruitment chair Abbie Ballew and logistics chair Gary Newton at the latest Butler County Relay For Life Team Captains Meeting at Beeland Park Thursday night.

“I know there have been some issues getting registered online. I sent out, via email, a new link that will streamline your getting to our Butler County registration site,” said Ballew. “If you didn’t get that new link, touch base with me and I will get the link to you. And if you have any problems getting registered, let me know.”

According to Ballew, as of Thursday only six teams had registered online, “and we know we have more teams than that.”

While the official deadline for registering a team in order to get  RLF t-shirts is April 13, “the sooner you get it done, the better,” Ballew said.

“Get your team registered now whether you have 40 or four members lined up, and you can add any additional folks down the road. Remember—it’s $100 raised per team member to receive your free t-shirt.”

Gary Newton, logistics chair, encouraged all those planning to rent tents to remember there will be many competing Relay events in surrounding counties in May and if possible, to get their reservations placed before the April 13 deadline.

“You also want to remember this rule. Request a tent space a little large than your actual tent—for example, a 10×10 space for an 8×8 tent. That way you have some room to move around outside the tent,” Newton said.

Need power at your tent?

“Bring some heavy-duty extension cords and try to keep the number of electrical items used at a minimum,” Newton said.

Relay dollars are already rolling in with three months to go before the May 12 event at the Butler County Fairgrounds.

Liz Mullins, RFL sponsorship chair, reported that $12,000 in pledges and collections had already been raised for the event and she and her assistants were still canvassing the county.

“That’s exciting! It’s great that we are this far along already,” said Ballew.

Each team is being asked to contribute one cake (or a dozen cupcakes) for a cake walk along with one door prize to be given away the night of Relay. “And we don’t judge if they are store-bought, either,” Ballew stressed. “People just love those cake walks.”

Upcoming fundraisers for Relay For Life teams include:

*Harley’s Angels Miss Relay Pageant on Saturday, February 11 at the Ritz Theatre.  Babies and preschoolers take the stage at 3 p.m. and the curtain rises at 7 p.m. for ages six years and up.

*Southside Baptist Church Pancake Breakfast set for Sunday, February 26 before services. The church’s team will also be making Hope bracelets and selling them for donations to RFL.

*Harley’s Angels  Benefit Bash on March 18 at the fairgrounds. Live music all day, vendors, King of the Grill Contest, silent auction and more. Gates open at 10 a.m. $15 admission.

*Sandcutt Community Spaghetti Supper at Antioch West Baptist Church on March 24 at 6 p.m. Dine in or to-go plates available. The Sandcutt team will also hold a yard sale on May 6 in the Comfort Care parking lot in Greenville.

*Southern Care Purple Bows are available for $10 donation and delivery is available. Call 382-1406 to order.

*Abbie Ballew State Farm Insurance “My Cancer Hero” 5k Walk/Run is Saturday, March 11 beginning at 8 a.m. Registration deadline is now March 1. 

*Southside Baptist Church Pancake Breakfast set for Sunday, February 26 before services. The church’s team will also be making Hope bracelets and selling them for donations to RFL.

The next team captains’ meeting is set for March 16 at 5:30 p.m. at Beeland Park. The Butler County Chapter of the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life is set for May 12 at the Butler County Fairgrounds.

For general Relay information, contact Gerri McGinnis at (334) 328-1176 or via email at gerrimcginnis@yahoo.com