More than 100 luminaries were placed along Millennium Park Saturday to honour local people who’ve battled cancer.
They were then lit during a ceremony at dusk, as part of the Bancroft Relay for Life event.
Flo Vandermeer, a member of the Bancroft Crusaders team which organizes the Relay, says the event, which honors both cancer survivors and those who’ve lost battles, is always emotional.
But it also brings a strong turnout of people, determined to walk and raise funds for Canadian Cancer Society programs.
Vandermeer says the Relay is benefitting from some changes. It used to ask participants to circle a track overnight, but it now runs with the theme “Relay Your Way” which means, participants aren’t expected to stay the night. Instead, they’re only expected to walk for as long as they’re comfortable.
“I feel there were more people this year than last year,” she says. “We were trying to get it back in the public last year (after the event went virtual during the pandemic years).
“There was more people out, more enthusiasm and I think we’ll see that happening again.”
The amount of funds raised at the Relay has yet to be announced.