Cancer Fighters Ready for Brandon Relay For Life Tonight

The American Cancer Society's 2013 Relay For Life season in Eastern Hillsborough County continues tonight, April 12, at Brandon High School, where the overnight fundraiser is set to kick off 6 p.m. with 23 teams and about 233 registered participants. 

The final two Relays for Eastern Hillsborough County are scheduled for April 19 at Armwood and Plant City high schools. Relays were held last week at Bloomingdale High School and last month at Newsome and Riverview High Schools.

According to Sara Vinzant, community representative for the Southeast Hillsborough Unit of the American Cancer Society, the three Relays alone have raised more than $365,000. Throw in the April 6 SouthShore Relay For Life at East Bay High School, and the total tops $450,000.

Relay teams have until August 1 to finish collecting money. That can make a huge difference in proceeds, as evidenced last year in Brandon, where the total rose significantly after Gay Lynn Love, in her successful bid for honorary mayor of Brandon, donated a large porition of her June charity proceeds to the Relay movement.

Last year, the seven relays in Southeastern Hillsborough County collectively raised $938,000.

"People are passionate about the cause and still give," despite a difficult economy, Vinzant said. Where events went soft, as in Brandon, they are rebuilding, she added.

"Cancer affects everybody," Vinzant said. "Cancer is something that affects everybody's life one way or another."

Without the annual Relay For Life movement "we wouldn't be able to do what we do," Vinzant said. The American Cancer Soceity's mission, she added, is "research, education, advocacy and patient services."

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2013 Relay For Life: Southeast Hillsborough

Below is a chart of money raised on behalf of the seven American Cancer Society Relay For Life events in Southeastern Hillsborough County. Teams have until August 1 to finish raising money for this year's total. 

Location 2011 2012 Location Date Bloomingdale $103,000 $78,000 Bloomingdale High School April 5-6 Brandon  $72,000   Brandon High School April 12-13 FishHawk $164,000 $152,000 Newosme High School March 23-24 Plant City $264,000   Plant City High School April 19-20 Riverview $178,000 $136,000 Riverview High School March 23-24 Seffner/Dover $53,000   Armwood High School April 19-20 SouthShore $104,000 $91,000 East Bay High School April 6-7
TOTALS $938,000 $457,000

Source: American Cancer Society Relay For Life, Southeast Hillsborough Unit