Please join us for our next meeting 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, in Fellowship Community's lower level auditorium, 3000 Fellowship Dr, Whitehall.

The Relay for Life of Whitehall invites anyone in the community who would like to help us. We meet monthly at Fellowship Community for approximately one hour.

What is the Whitehall Relay For Life? The community comes together as a whole – cancer survivors, their caregivers, relay committee members, relay teams, the business community and the general public from the Whitehall-Coplay, Northampton and Catasauqua areas – to bring cancer awareness to the public, hope for current cancer victims and to raise money for local and national American Cancer Society programs and research.

The Relay gives the general public knowledge of the Lehigh Valley and national programs that are available from The American Cancer Society.

The Relay's slogan is Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back. We celebrate cancer survivors and what they have overcome. Cancer no longer is a death sentence with early detection, current research, and medical breakthroughs. At the Relay, there is a ceremonial survivor's lap around the track and a special dinner for cancer survivors.

Do you know a cancer survivor? Please have them get involved.

We remember people who have been lost to cancer and honor people who have fought or are fighting cancer. At the Relay at 9:30 p.m. June 22, we begin our luminaria ceremony with a performance by an area bagpiper playing tribute to our lost ones.

The track is lined with luminaria bags that have been decorated by family and friends honoring the cancer victims that have passed and those who are currently battling cancer. This is a very moving part of our program.

We fight back by inspiring relay participants to take tangible action against a disease that has taken too much. We need to get the word out to

· get tested early for known cancers – mammograms and colon rectal screening

· learn how to prevent skin cancer

· help a smoker quit

· learn about American Cancer Society recommendations regarding body weight, nutrition, and physical activity to stay healthy.

There is much the American Cancer Society is doing to help you.

The Relay is a big undertaking. It takes a year to plan and is done 100 percent by volunteers. A big thank you goes out to all the volunteers. We cannot have a successful relay without you. There are many behind the scenes positions and committees that work tirelessly thoughtout the year. We need volunteers for all of our committees. Can you help?