FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Relay for Life will transform the Farmington Fairgrounds into a “Race for a Cure” when it gets underway at 6 p.m. Friday, June 1. The overnight event continues through 6 a.m. Saturday, June 2.

“The Relay is an inspiring event for anyone who has fought cancer or loved someone who has fought cancer,” said Dee LaPlant, co-chair of the event. “Sometimes people feel helpless in the face of cancer. The Relay gives us a way to fight back by raising money for research and patient support and to celebrate the lives of those who have survived.”

This year, the Relay moves back to its original location when the local event began in Farmington in 1998. The Relay is an overnight event, symbolizing the fact that “cancer never sleeps.”

“It is very much a community event. Every individual counts at the Relay, from those who are fighting a personal battle and those who care for them to the many more who are raising money to eliminate cancer from our lives,” said LaPlant. “The Relay gives us a chance to celebrate survivors, remember those who have not survived and fight back for a cure.”

Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back, are, in fact, the primary themes of the Relay. Survivors are celebrated as they make the first lap around the track. People with cancer are remembered in the Luminaria ceremony, where the track is lined with hundreds of white bags with candles inside, bearing the names of those who are fighting cancer and those who have passed on.

And above all, the Relay is a fun event. Teams take cues from the event theme and personalize their campsites and team events.

There’s still time to pull together a team. Contact Mac Watts at (800) 464-3102, ext. 3704, or LaPlant at 778-3339.

Donations to the Relay for Life may be made by sponsoring a team member in the community or donating online at www.relayforlife.org/franklinme. Donations may also be made by purchasing a Luminaria in memory or honor of someone who has battled cancer. Businesses may join as event sponsors.

The local event has a Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/RelayFranklin.