Hundreds of lights lined the track.

After the sun went down, the lighting of the luminaries took place at Relay for Life in Peterson Park, Mattoon.

The luminaries shone in memory of someone who lost his or her life to cancer. Each luminary could be purchased for $5 and the name of who bought it and who it is in honor of is written on the bag.

State Representative Chapin Rose (R-Mahomet) spoke in the opening ceremonies about how his father died of cancer and his mother is a cancer survivor. Following Chapin’s speech, a cancer survivor spoke about “Canning Cancer” and then the audience was lead in a prayer.

Cancer survivors walked the initial lap, which took place at 6:30 p.m., while teams clapped as they passed.

Forty-eight teams walked from 6 p.m., Saturday to 6 a.m., Sunday and helped raise money to fight against cancer.

This year the goal was to raise $100,000. About an hour before the opening ceremonies, $50,000 had already been raised.

Each team had up to 15 people and each team was required to raise $100 before it could participate. Team members set up tents or RVs and continued raising money by selling anything from sandwiches to glow-sticks to cell phone covers.

A big draw was the “Plunging for a Purpose” dunk tank sponsored by Premier and Sisters with Attitude. For only $0.50 a throw, people could dunk public officials like Charleston Mayor John Inyart, Mattoon City Commissioner Randy Irvin and Mattoon Police Chief Larry Metzlaars.

“I was happy to do it,” said Inyart who was soaked after being in the dunk tank. “(Relay For Life) is good for the community.”

The theme for this year’s Relay For Life was “Lights, Camera, Action for a Cure.” Teams had movie-related themes like “Grease: Cured is the Word” and “Pirates of the Cure-ibbean.” Team members in the “Grease” tent were from Blue Cross Blue Shield and dressed in 50s-style outfits and served sandwiches and pop to raise money for a cure. Team members from the “Pirates,” whose team name was Panther Pride 1 and 2, had a kiddie-pool filled with sand where kids could find buried treasure, homemade caramel apples and popcorn.

The night was still young, however, as participants had another 12 hours to go. The Relay For Life committee made a schedule that planned something for almost every hour to keep participants awake.

Events included a quartet called “Barber Shop,” relay races, a pizza party and a team challenge where teams competed in movie trivia and the limbo.

Another fundraiser was a silent auction which auctioned anything from books to gift baskets to a life-size statue of Jack Daniel, which had a starting bid of $50.

Edie Floyd, co-chair of the silent auction, said that each team brings auction items, some of which were donated from local businesses and some that were homemade.

“Some (teams) might bring 10 items,” said Floyd. “One lady brought 75.”

A wake-up lap filled with kazoos and whistles took place at 4 a.m.

Melanie Carwell, co-chair of the survivor committee, said this is her third year participating at the Relay For Life. She works at Carle Foundation Physician Services in Mattoon in the Chemotherapy wing.

“We work with the patients and want to get them involved,” said Carwell. “You meet a lot of new people out here.” Carwell also said that Relay For Life is a rewarding experience.

Employees of the Sarah Bush Lincoln Hospital focused their tent on breast cancer with their movie theme “In Her Shoes.” The team hung glass-slipper ornaments around their tent and sold cell-phone covers, chocolate bars and bracelets to raise money.

“Someone from Sarah Bush was diagnosed with breast cancer and she’s our team captain,” said volunteer Cheryl Pals. The team also offered massages for $1 a minute.

Another team from the CVS pharmacy in Mattoon had a “Blues Brothers” theme, whose catch phrase was “We’re on a hot pursuit for a cure, on a mission from God.” The team projected the movie on the side of their tent so walkers could watch a little while they walked by.

Sandy McDowell, who was representing the Wal-Mart Walkers said this was their first year at Relay For Life.

“I think it’s just an awesome event,” said McDowell, whose team brought 15 people.

“We’re already talking about next year.”

Chris Maleske. Principal of Williams Elementary in Mattoon, was at the Relay For Life representing Mattoon Schools in a team called “The Incredibles.” Maleske said his team planned to bring nearly 150 people throughout the night, and this year is the second year the school district has participated.

“We try to help the children and the community,” Maleske said.

According to the Relay For Life Web site, the team that raised the most money Saturday night was Carol’s Classie Lassies and Lads, who raised a total of $4,628.80 between the 10 members.

One team, whose theme was “Field of Dreams,” summed up the event best with its slogan: “If you fund it, a cure will come.”

Cancer survivors walk together during the first lap of Relay for Life on Saturday evening at Peterson Park in Mattoon. (Adam Testa/The Daily Eastern News)

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