For a number

of years, Laura Wallen has been a regular participant in the Relay for

Life, a fund-raiser for cancer research sponsored by the American Cancer

Society. She decided to join the fight against cancer because she lost

her mother to the disease on her 18th birthday.

"Did you

know that one person dies of cancer in the state of Georgia every 43 minutes,"

asks Wallen. "There is no one in our school system that does not

have a relative, friend, colleague or student that has battled this vicious

disease."

When Wallen

moved to Fayette from Glynn County and started teaching at Starr's Mill,

she immediately inquired about the school system's participation in Relay

for Life. To her surprise, she found that most people had not heard of

the event.

"Where

I am from, every school system participates," says Wallen. "I

was amazed to learn that the people here did not know what the relay was

all about."

Determined

to form a team for Starr's Mill, Wallen contacted the American Cancer

Society to find out who Fayette's chairman was for the relay so that she

could start the paperwork. Instead, she learned that there was not a chairman

because participation in the county had been very low.

A representative

at the Cancer Society asked Wallen if she would like to volunteer to head

up the event in Fayette. As a working mother of two, she was concerned

about the amount of time it would take to recruit participants for the

event. Then, she had an idea.

"I thought

I would see if the Fayette County School System would commit to supporting

this event. Each school could form at least one team and that would increase

the participation dramatically. Also, it would be an easy and less time

consuming way for me to recruit participants," Wallen explains.

After getting

backing from school Superintendent John DeCotis, Wallen sent a letter

to her colleagues at each school explaining what the event was about and

asking for their participation. The response was overwhelming.

Wallen says

her goal was to double the number of teams involved last year from 10

to 20. That goal was surpassed quickly. There are currently 50 teams participating

­ the most Fayette County has ever had.

Almost all

schools have formed at least one team, but many have created several teams

representing various departments at the schools. There are approximately

six teams from Starr's Mill alone. Not only are teachers and school administrators

getting involved, but also parents, grandparents and other community members.

"I have

had parents of students call me up and tell me that they are cancer survivors

and that they want to be a part of this event," says Wallen. "Getting

the schools involved has made a tremendous difference."

The Relay for

Life will be at Fayette County High School May 18-19. It will be an overnight

event packed with fun and entertainment. The relay kicks off on the 18 th

at 7 p.m. with a survivor walk at the high school's track. Cancer survivors

will complete the first lap of the relay and then members from each team

will join the survivors on the second lap. Each team must keep two members

on the track at all times.

Although anyone

can participate in the walk, a team must raise $1,000 to participate.

Teams spend the night walking and socializing with people from all over

the community.

There will

be live bands and a children's area, and teams will be selling food out

of their tents to raise additional money for the fight against cancer.

Also, a luminary ceremony will honor the memories of those who lost their

battle with cancer.

Money raised

from the event will stay in Fayette County to help fund research, public

and medical education, and patient services. Wallen says her goal was

to raise $35,000 but she thinks that figure has already been met in entry

fees alone. She expects that the total amount raised will surpass $65,000.

"I am

extremely excited about how everything is coming together. As a teacher,

I am so happy to see the schools showing commitment to this project. This

is something that is near and dear to my heart," Wallen says.

There is still

time for people to form teams for the relay, donate prizes or volunteer.

Anyone interested in participating can contact Wallen at 770-460-8920

or 770-486-9944.