ELLSWORTH — The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life of Hancock County is scheduled for June 1 and 2 at the Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School track.

The event kicks off at 4 p.m. June 1 and wraps up at the following morning at 10.

Former and current cancer patients, those who have lost a loved one to cancer, families, businesses, faith-based and civic organizations and anyone wanting to make a difference in the fight against cancer are invited to participate.

Relay For Life events are held overnight as individuals and teams camp out at an athletic track, park or other gathering area, with the goal of keeping at least one team member on the track or pathway at all times throughout the evening.

This year’s Relay event will get under way on Friday, June 1, at 6 p.m. with a special Survivors and Caregivers Lap, which honors those who have defeated cancer. Survivors and their caregivers will join together to take Relay’s opening lap, unified in victory and hope, while the rest of the event’s participants surround the track to cheer them on.

For survivors and caregivers who would like to come early, there will be a special reception and dinner in their honor.

Registration opens at 3:30 p.m. and the reception dinner is at 4.

Teams do most of their fund raising prior to the event, but some teams also hold creative fund-raisers at their camp sites during the Relay event.

The event’s common goal is to further the American Cancer Society’s efforts to save lives by helping people stay well, by helping them get well, by finding cures and by fighting back.

“Relay For Life draws attention to the progress being made in the fight against cancer,” said Marc Applebee, volunteer tri-chairman for the event. “Many participants are our family, friends, and neighbors who have faced cancer themselves. Their involvement helps brings hope that, together, we can eliminate cancer as a major health problem.”

For information about how to form or register a team or to sign up to attend the survivor and caregiver reception, visit RelayForLife.org/hancockme or call (800) 227-2345.

For more community news, pick up a copy of The Ellsworth American.