Relay for Life campaigns for the Black Belt are getting closer and the need for teams is growing.

Team recruitment efforts are already underway in Sumter County for their April 21 event and efforts in Marengo and Hale Counties will begin within the next two weeks.

Terry Reynolds, who helps organize the Marengo County event, said packets for team captains are already available. She also said they plan to hold a meeting Monday, Jan. 23 to advise people who are interested in participating on how to start a team.

“We are gearing up to start our Relay for Life campaign,” Reynolds said. “We have packets for the teams here at Comfort Care Hospice and we will also have a captains meeting on Jan. 23 at the hospital. Anyone who is interested in forming a team can show up and we will have packets there for them too.”

The meeting will also focus on online Relay.

The team captains meeting will take place at 6 p.m. in the Bryan W. Whitfield Hospital conference room. For additional information, please call Reynolds at 289-2106.

Sumter County will continue their efforts with a team captains meeting Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 5:30 p.m. This meeting will take place on the campus of the University of West Alabama in the Student Union Building.

For additional information, please contact Laura Hester at (205) 652-9858.

Hale County’s Relay for Life efforts will get underway Tuesday, Jan. 24 at Miss Melissa’s in Moundville at 6 p.m. with a kickoff meeting.

At this meeting, people interested in forming teams can bring information about their teams. For more information on the Hale County program, please call Linda Harless at (205) 371-8926.

Relay for Life Co-Chairman Angela Huffman encourages everyone to participate in their county’s program.

“We invite everyone in the community to take part in the Relay for Life,” Huffman said. “Where else can you have so much fun and support such an important cause?”

Relay for Life, which is the American Cancer Society’s largest fund raiser, supports American Cancer Society research, education, advocacy and patient service programs.

– rick.couch@demopolistimes.com