THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605290164
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 40 lines
Parents, staff and students from John B. Dey Elementary School will be camped out on the infield at Great Neck Middle School tonight. So will families and staff from Cox and Tallwood high schools.
They'll be sharing space with representatives from the Virginia Beach Republican Women's Club, Prudential Decker Realty, Virginia Beach General Hospital and more than 100 other organizations from South Hampton Roads.
The occasion is the fourth annual Relay for Life, sponsored by the local unit of the American Cancer Society.
For 24 hours, 170 teams of 15 persons each will take turns walking the school's track in an attempt to raise more than $285,000 for cancer research, education and services.
If the local teams meet their goal, the Hampton Roads unit of the cancer society stands an excellent chance of becoming the top fund-raiser of all the cancer units participating in the nationwide event.
According to Coleen Lucas, the organization's area director, the prospects look good.
``We already have $200,000 in hand and by the time the relay is over we expect to exceed our goal,'' she said.
Last year, the 2,000 members of 140 participating teams raised more than $246,000, making the local event the third-highest money maker of its type in the country.
Mayor Meyera E. Oberndorf and Joe Hoppel of WCMS radio will participate in the opening ceremonies at 7 p.m. along with Terry Zahn and Regina Mobley of WVEC-TV news.
The first lap in the relay will be made by cancer survivors. Entertainment, including a Saturday afternoon appearance by QVC host, Suzanne Runyans, will be provided throughout the around-the-clock event. Teams also will compete in costume and picnic contests.
The public is invited to join participants at any time during the relay, 7 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m. Saturday. The school is at 1848 Great Neck Road. Call 853-6638. by CNB