Gwinnett holding largest Relay for Life in the country Friday

Thousands of participants perform Purple Glove Dance during the Relay For Life at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds in this 2011 file photo. The 2016 event was the largest Relay for Life event in the country, organizers said.

Thousands of participants perform Purple Glove Dance during the Relay For Life at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds in this 2011 file photo. The 2016 event was the largest Relay for Life event in the country, organizers said.

The largest Relay for Life event in the U.S. is happening in Gwinnett County on Friday.

The Relay for Life of Gwinnett will last from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Saturday at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds in Lawrenceville. More than 10,000 participants are expected to stay up all night raising money for the American  Cancer Society.

Members of the 254 registered teams will take turns walking laps for 12 hours to honor cancer survivors, those who have died from cancer and those who have cared for or lost a loved one to cancer. Themed laps include the Caregiver’s Lap, Survivor’s Lap and the Luminaria Ceremony, when lanterns are lit to honor survivors and those who have died.

In addition to being the nation’s largest Relay for Life, the Gwinnett County event raises a large sum for the American Cancer Society each year. Last year, the event raised $1.4 million.

For more information on Relay for Life of Gwinnett, contact Roxanne Tigue at roxanne.tigue@cancer.org.

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