Organizers Lynn Lowe and Sherry Teeter challenged Orangeville residents to make the first Orangeville Relay for Life a success.

The residents responded, and then some.

A tentative goal of $50,000 was proposed. If the current totals are anything to go by, Orangeville locals looked at that number and said, “We can do better.” According to the Canadian Cancer Society, the money raised has topped $100,000.

Fifty teams registered to do the 12-hour event, from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday.

That worked out to 550 participants spending a night at Orangeville Fairgrounds that included an early-morning thunderstorm.

Until a few years ago area residents could take part in a Caledon Relay for Life, but it was moved to Brampton.

Mrs. Lowe says she knew Orangeville was a great community that would really support a local relay, and there was so much enthusiasm, participants “stayed awake through the night, dancing around and doing field activities.” She says there will definitely be another relay in Orangeville next year.

“So many people from the community came together and made it just a great time.”

And 53 cancer survivors made it to the relay as well, most of them completing a Survivors’ Victory Lap around the grass track.

Mrs. Lowe said it was a great turnout, but knowing there were many others out there, “We hope to get them out here next year.”

Barry Edington, manager of the Canadian Cancer Society’s Dufferin office, commented that the survivors really made the event come alive for the participants and volunteers.

“They made the community understand why we do what we do,” he said.

“The music was great, the site was great, the food was fabulous,” said Mrs. Lowe. “We had a little rain at the end, but we had plenty of warning and moved everyone inside.”

When it was time to light the luminaries the volunteers helped Orangeville firefighters light them around the track. “It was a very touching ceremony,” Mrs. Lowe said.

She attributes the event’s great success to all the volunteers, ranging from the committee volunteers to people who just came out and helped on the day.

All proceeds from the Relay will go to the Canadian Cancer Society for cancer research.

“We beat Georgetown,” Mrs. Lowe said proudly. “They’ve been doing it for five years, so that’s good for a first-time event. They’re raving about how successful it was here.”

There are over 150 such relays in Ontario during June, Brampton’s being next weekend.

The participants are also raving and congratulating the organizers for the great night.

“What was really great out there were the kinds of teams around the track,” Mrs. Lowe said. “We had church groups and high school and work people, people from totally different walks of life were together there.”

All kinds of people were celebrating life, working toward one goal together.

“Unfortunately cancer touches everyone,” said Mrs. Lowe. “But at least in this regard we can get all the community together and help us to wipe it out.”