Gill Loughman chairs Moorabool’s Relay for Life effort, and is encouraging the business community to get into the spirit of this year’s event by decorating their stores purple.
Ms Loughman is aiming for a cancer-free world, and says the Moorabool community has raised more than $575,000 over the past seven years through donations to the Relay for Life.
“My husband had cancer and died 13 years ago, so when Relay for Life came to Bacchus Marsh I thought it was a wonderful way to raise money, so that we can live in a cancer-free world,” she said.
The 18-hour overnight event will include live entertainment and a twilight market with more than 30 stalls. Activities for children include a jumping castle, an animal farm, a rock-climbing wall and a bucking bull. Guest speaker Michael Grayling, from the Cancer Council, will address participants.
Teams stop briefly in the night for a candlelight ceremony, when individuals are given the opportunity to write tributes to loved ones and light candles to decorate the oval.
Eleven shops in the area have been decorated with the colour purple to raise awareness about the relay, which will be held from September 19 to 20, from 3.30pm at Maddingley Park, Taverner Street, Bacchus Marsh.
“My team’s fundraising has been done through sausage sizzles, and the relay is a celebration of these fundraising events which have taken place all year,” Ms Loughman said.
“Survivors of cancer and carers of those with cancer start the walk by doing the first lap. There are 18 teams registered at the moment, and we encourage people to create their own team or join an existing one by going onto the Relay for Life website,” she said.
By Neslim Djemal
