The Relay For Life isn’t just for those with cancer; it’s for those who may not have cancer but care about those who do.

“I relay because my family has been very fortunate health wise and I have always liked to do what I can to help others who have not been as lucky,” said Mackenzie Darling, a Spruce Mountain High School North freshman who not only captained a team at the Relay last year, but took the top individual fund-raiser spot by raising $2,750. Her Spruce Mountain Middle School team was the third highest fund-raising team, having brought in $3,959 in its first year effort. This year, her team, Teens Shooting for a Cure, draws from Spruce Mountain High School.

Many people participate in the Relay but very few rank as the top fund-raiser. For Mackenzie, it started with raising a team goal of $1,000. “We had reached that in no time at all and I was so excited that I raised our goal to $2,500,” she said.

“Each time another donation comes in, I get excited and want to work even harder. The thought of there being a cure for cancer one day, and that I can help to contribute to that, helps to keep me working hard,” said Mackenzie.

This year, the team hopes to raise $5,000.

“My family also helps to come up with ideas that will potentially be big fundraisers. We brainstorm to see which ones are the best fundraising ideas and can be accomplished by our team members. We try to limit it to one big fundraiser each month so nobody on the team gets overwhelmed.”

Mackenzie began with the Relay by helping her mother’s Franklin Savings Bank team with its car washes and other fund-raisers at the bank’s Jay branch about three years ago. “I was younger at the time I started and it was just fun to go help with the different events. I really enjoyed spending time with friends while working to raise money for a good cause. When my mom’s branch stopped having a team I really wanted to still be a part of it. I decided to start a team of my own and posted signs around school looking for others to join our new team.”

While for many, the Relay is about the event itself, Mackenzie works on the planning year-round. “The fundraising usually takes place from January through the event itself,” she said.

The key to a successful fund-raiser is to make sure you have a group of people who are dedicated to the Relay. “It helps when you have other people who are willing to work hard to achieve the goals that have been set for the team and all team members want the same thing, to help a great cause.”

“Some people may look at our fundraising efforts when we plan them out and think, ‘Wow, that’s a lot to expect someone to do.’ Those are not the people who will help you do what needs to be done to achieve your goals. It’s a lot of hard work and very time-consuming to do the fundraising and to prepare for the event itself. It’s all worth it in the end though!”

“I also must admit that I have a hidden motivation of someday beating the Franklin Savings Bank team! Maybe this is our year,” she added. Last year, the Franklin Savings Bank team was the top fund-raising team at $7,672. Linwood’s Ladies was the second highest team at $5,405.

While Mackenzie takes satisfaction in knowing her efforts may contribute to one day finding a cure for cancer, she also enjoys the night of the Relay when she can see all her hard work come together. Her favorite part? “Getting to hang out with your friends and have a good time at the event. The fact that I get to eat all night long at the event is a plus too,” she said.