CULLMAN, Ala. — Relay For Life of Cullman County announces it will hold a Drive-Thru Luminaria and Survivors’ Parade on Friday, May 7, 2021 in the Warehouse District of Downtown Cullman. The “Lights on First” event will be held from 8:30 to 10 p.m. and will follow a northern route on First Avenue NE from 1st Street NE to Arnold Street.
“We’re excited to be able to hold this special event so that we can celebrate all of the survivors and caregivers in our community and remember those we have lost,” said Jan Pierce, Linda Walker, Relay For Life of Cullman County volunteer and one of the chairs of Survivor activities. “I want to thank the City of Cullman and the business owners in the Warehouse District for their support and cooperation in hosting this event. Because of COVID-19, we’ve had to make quite a few adjustments over the last year. We feel this drive-through event is the safest option for Relay participants, many of whom are survivors themselves and may have compromised immunity systems. We hope to see many of those survivors – from a safe distance-–in the parade and encourage them to decorate their cars, create posters telling us how long they’ve been a survivor and join in the celebration. Teams who would have normally decorated a tent site are also welcome to have a car in the parade to celebrate their efforts.”
The other part of the event is the luminaria service. Hundreds of bags are dedicated each year with names printed on them in memory of or in honor of loved ones who have been affected by cancer. The group also encourages bags be dedicated to caregivers who have assisted survivors in their battle.
This year, those who dedicate a luminaria will also have the free opportunity to submit a photo and/or message for their loved one, which will be included in a slide show that will be shown on a large screen from the parking lot behind the Cullman Museum. It will also be shown later on the Relay For Life of Cullman County’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
Luminaria can be dedicated online at www.relayforlife.org/cullmanal or by printing an order form from the Relay For Life Documents link at cullmanrelay.wordpress.com and sending it to the address printed there or dropping them off at The Cullman Times. Checks should be made out to the American Cancer Society. To ensure inclusion in the drive-through event and slide show, dedications should be made by April 30.
Leading up to the May 7 event, teams who have signed up or will sign up for the event will have opportunities to participate in online versions of the traditional team events normally held at Relay, such as the T-shirt, spirit stick, boxer shorts, bra competitions and more. The first deadline to enter a contest is April 2. See the Relay For Life Facebook page for more information. The first deadline to enter a contest is April 2. See the Relay For Life Facebook page for more information.
“We’ve missed seeing our teams, survivors and caregivers and hope they and many others will join us for the ‘Lights on First’ event,” said Tess Kimbrough, chair of the Luminaria ceremony. “Like many other charities, COVID has impacted our fundraising efforts, but we must continue to raise awareness and keep raising money for research and patient support. Now, more than ever, we need to continue the fight. If we don’t support research, we won’t be moving toward the goals of curing cancer, preventing cancer and creating better and more effective treatments. We’ve seen so many advances in just the last 20 to 30 years, imagine what we can do in another decade or two if we keep supporting research. Each achievement made will benefit everyone in our community who may be affected by cancer.”
Visit www.relayforlife.org/cullmanal for more information or to donate or contact Event Lead Helen Allen at 256-709-4019 or helenma1941@gmail.com.
