Medford-Somerville Relay For Life steps off Friday night

By Kathy McCabe, Globe Staff

The Medford-Somerville Relay For Life steps off Friday night at Edgerly Field, Medford High School. There are 36 teams, with 284 participants, taking part in the 12-hour fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society. Teams so far have raised $79,398 of its $100,000 fund-raising goal for this year's relay. This year's theme is Dance For A Cure.

Top fund-raising teams are Two Star Battalion, $12,805; Team Endurance, $10,225; and Linda's Warriors, $9,751.

Money raised will aid cancer research by the American Cancer Society, which organizes relay fund-raisers across the country. Teams camp out overnight in a location. Members take turns walking laps around a track or field, symbolizing that cancer never sleeps.

Opening ceremonies for the Medford-Somerville relay will be at 6 p.m. Cancer survivors and caregivers will take the first lap at 6:30 p.m. Special events planned for the night include fitness and self-defense demonstrations, and a performance by the Medford High School Dance Team.

At 9 p.m., luminaria bags will be lit in memory of people who have died from cancer. A silent memorial lap will be held at 9:20 p.m.

Team laps will start at 10 p.m. and continue all night. A closing ceremony is scheduled for 7:20 a.m. For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org/medfordma.

Kathy McCabe can be reached at kmccabe@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @GlobeKMcCabe.