RIVERLAND Relay For Life will return to its original format in 2021 – and it could move towns.
The annual Cancer Council SA fundraiser has been an incredible local success story since first being held in the early 2000s, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars.
To cater for Covid-19 restrictions, last year’s event was cut from its regular 19-hour duration of continuous lap-walking at Berri Oval to a few hours on the river front.
However, spokesperson Nancy Murdock said organisers were planning a return to a traditional Relay For Life format this year, albeit with the possibility of a different location.
“We had a smaller one last year, but this year it’ll be more like the old ones,” Mrs Murdock said.
“We are thinking it may be held in another town, because if we hold it elsewhere we may get more teams.
“But it will be in October and we’ll confirm the date in a week or two.”
Mrs Murdock – a cancer survivor herself – encouraged locals to get involved in the fundraiser, which also aims to bring the community together to celebrate cancer survivors.
“People enjoy every minute of it and it’s for a darn good cause,” she said.
“(Cancer Council SA) has a new building for country people who go down to Adelaide and that’s so important, because some people can’t afford six weeks in a motel if you’re having radiation therapy.
“So we really have to keep going to help them help us here in the country.”
Anyone interested in joining a Riverland Relay For Life team, entering their own team, or joining the local Riverland Relay For Life committee should call Nancy Murdock (0402 773 586.
Meanwhile the Cancer Council SA Riverland branch hosted a Biggest Morning Tea event at the Berri Town Hall last Friday, raising over $1000.