Organizers had prepared the sports field behind Digby Elementary School, but heavy rain in late afternoon forced a decision to move indoors. The move meant removing 1,226 luminaries—votive candles in white bags—from the field and lining them on the arena rink floor.
As of Sunday, the Relay for Life had raised $60,500, not the $74,000 mentioned in initial reports, said a chagrined organizer Phyllis Thurber. That figure came from an error in counting, she said.
However, money is still coming in, “and I know there’s another $1,400 coming.”
The overnight event, which began with team registration Friday at 4 p.m. and ended Saturday at 7 a.m., ran into a dismal economy, Thurber suggested. Other area communities have also found their Relays weren’t able to raise as much money in hard financial times.
This was the third year for the Relay for Life in Digby, which stunned many people in its first attempt by raising $84,000, and a further $95,000 last year.
Despite the inclement weather, 339 people registered for the Relay and applauded as cancer survivors took a victory lap around the rink during opening ceremonies
Relaying hope for an end to cancer
Relaying hope for an end to cancer
Hundreds help raise over $60,000 in overnight fundraiser
Digby’s Relay for Life raised more than $60,000 on the weekend to aid the fight against cancer. It was the third such event in town, but the first to be forced by inclement weather to move indoors into the nearby Digby Area Arena.
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