Area residents will gather at the Vernon County Fairgrounds in Viroqua on June 12 at 6 p.m. to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life of the Viroqua Area.

Over the course of 15 years, the Relay For Life of the Viroqua Area has raised more than half a million dollars for cancer research, education, advocacy and patient services.

Friday night, team members and the community will come together to celebrate the efforts that have been made and the support and donations given.

Thirty-one teams of Viroqua area residents will participate in the overnight relay. The theme this year is "Re-lei For Life! — Celebrating 15 Years of Love, Hope & Relay in the Viroqua Area.”

The relay opens with the Viroqua Men’s Chorus singing the National Anthem. The chorus will also perform a few songs prior to the opening ceremony. Introductions of the 2009 Honorary Co-Chairs, Lori Feller and Therese Flock, will be made, and the 31 teams will be recognized. The walking begins with the survivors taking the first lap and then they will be honored at a survivor reception afterward.

The community is invited to come and enjoy the activities at the relay. There will be a Rooster Andy’s chicken-que and foods for sale at the 4-H food stand. The River City Corvette Club members will have their Corvettes on display and invite other Corvette owners to bring their cars to the display and invite people to meet the members and view the Corvettes.

At 7 p.m., the Click’n & Grin’n Cloggers will be on the stage in front of the grandstand. The Westby Summer Big Band will perform from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

The Co-op Building will house cancer education activities from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. It will also be the place where Chinese raffle and event raffle items will be displayed and chances will be available for purchase. The event raffle raffle tickets can also be purchased from team members before the relay. Activities for children will take place in the Co-op Building, as well as on the grounds.

The public is invited to attend the Luminaria Ceremony, which begins at 9:30 p.m. To honor the community’s cancer survivors and to remember those lost to the disease, survivors will circle the track rimmed with glowing luminaria while the names of survivors and those lost to the disease are read aloud. Luminaria can be obtained from team members or at the relay for a $5 donation per luminaria.

After the Luminaria Ceremony, team members will continue walking throughout the night, with some special Hawaiian inspired theme laps.

On Saturday, the Viroqua Lionettes will be serving breakfast starting at 6 a.m. Chinese raffle chances and event raffle tickets will again be available for purchase, with drawings to take place at the closing ceremony.

The announcement of Relay for Life results and raffle winners will take place at the 9 a.m. closing.