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It’s been a few years since Mower County hosted a Relay for Life event, and unfortunately it has been disbanded, something Waseca County also had to do.

However, the welcome news earlier this week that both counties were merging with the Freeborn County Relay for Life is welcome news and provides an opportunity to grow the event.

The Relay for Life is an important part of humanity’s journey toward curing cancer through an event that not only raises important funds for cancer research, but also gives us a chance to remember those who lost their fight to cancer and to celebrate those who have won their fight.

Bringing so many people together is about bringing together a community of people whose lives have been touched by this lingering disease that has such a profound impact on the future.

In short, this event was a morale boost, which made it all the more unfortunate when the Mower event began to struggle with numbers. This is a fight that needs people coming together.

However, now there is the opportunity to combine efforts of even more people and counties into one unified effort, something that has worked before when the Mower and Freeborn communities merged for the Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

The opportunity expands further when you consider the reach of awareness and participation. A more unified front should provide more stability for the future in the hope of bolstering the numbers of those taking part in the walk.

This year’s event is scheduled for Aug. 9-10 at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds, and we hope you will consider participating.

For more information or to sign up a team, visit: https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=108049