Each step a battle

Fairies and Goofy, flashers, big dogs and little dogs and people wearing giant red hats ‹ just another day in the fight against cancer.

The American Cancer Society¹s annual Relay for Life took place at Colony High School Friday and Saturday, and the eclectic blend of characters who took to the track did so to help raise money for cancer research, honor survivors and remember those who have lost the fight against cancer.

Each year, the event draws hundreds of walkers, bikers, runners and skateboarders to the track for a good cause.

³It¹s a family atmosphere. We¹re having fun,² said Ronelle Brown, one of the event¹s main organizers.

Because it¹s a family event, people shouldn¹t be concerned about those flashers ‹ they were simply flashing lights that people wore during one of the laps during the darkness, one way organizers ensured people would want to stick to the track throughout the event.

There were contests like a frozen T-shirt competition ‹ first one to get it thawed out and wearable won $50 for their team ‹ and lots of entertainment, from Paws and Taws square dancing to the tropical sounds of the Colony Calypso steel drum group.

Special laps and events were held this year ‹ Goofy and the fairies were part of the ³character lap,² in which prizes were given to those who were dressed in character. There were laps in which people were supposed to wear boots, laps where frilly red hats ruled, and even laps that were done in reverse.

From 8 p.m. through Saturday afternoon, people walked the track ‹ no matter what the weather conditions were, because it represents the constant fight cancer patients face. The Relay for Life is a national event, with communities hosting events like that at Colony High School.

This year, similar events are being held around Alaska ‹ during the same time as the Valley event, similar events were held in Eagle River and Anchorage. Next weekend, the Kenai Peninsula gets in the Relay for Life action with events there.

For the Relay for Life, 23 Valley groups organized teams and raised money ‹ from individual families to large companies.

Lining the football field and outlying areas of Colony High School were motorhomes, tents and campers, as team members turned the event into a camping trip.

Saturday morning, after an all-night affair of walking, Brown said the final numbers for the fund-raising efforts weren¹t available yet.