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Saline County Relay for Life raised nearly $42,000 this year for the American Cancer Society.  Participants and volunteers of the Saline County Relay for Life gather after receiving various awards and recognition for the American Cancer Society event, which was held May 16 in Benton. Seated are, from left, Justin Leubker with Arvest Bank, Kayce Wright with Union Bank, Jennifer Kelly with Union Bank, Lisa Thornton with Summit Bank and Heather Hardin. In the back are, from left, Tammi Miller, Saline Rivers with Rineco, Rebecca Jones with Saline Memorial Hospital, event chairwoman Diane Jester with Union Bank, Tammy Chronistir with Regions Bank and Laura Skinner with Bank of the Ozarks.
Diane Jester of Union Bank, chairperson of the local event, announced the total during an awards and recognition ceremony at the bank last Friday.
The amount may well exceed $42,000, Jester said.
“We have more money coming in,” she said, noting that attendance at the all-night event was up over last year.
The event was held May 16 at the Benton High School football practice field and track.
About 25 teams set up tents around the track and featured games and activities for all ages. At least one team member tried to stay on the track all night. Everybody took a break about 9:30 p.m. for the luminary ceremony to remember and honor loved ones with cancer.
Laura Vaughn, vice president of the ACS Arkansas chapter, said at the awards ceremony that ACS is expected to bring in $4.2 million this year from events like Relay for Life.
“It’s all because of volunteers like you,” she said. You’re truly amazing. We all know you work full-time, have families, and you take the time to volunteer and not just for the American Cancer Society. We know you’re pulled in different directions.”
Following are local Relay for Life award-winners:
• Best Campsite — Summit Bank, first; Crye-Leike Realtors, second; Union Bank, Bank of the Ozarks and Arvest Bank, honorable mention.
• Most Spirit — The Heartbeats, first; Saline Memorial Hospital, second; Arkansas Federal Credit Union, honorable mention.
• Most Appetizing — Phillips-Moudy-Duke Real Estate, first; Everett Buick Pontiac GMC, second; Coorstek, honorable mention.
• Most Money Raised Online — Rineco, first; Coorstek, second.
• Most Money Raised — Summit Bank, first; Saline Memorial Hospital, second; the Knockouts and Crye-Leike, honorable mention.
• Best Team Banners — Regions Bank, first; Fred Briner’s law office, second; Pulaski Mortgage, honorable mention.
• All-night Team Participation — Saline Memorial Hospital, Summit Bank, Coorstek, Union Bank, the county’s assessor’s office and the Knockouts.
• Team Participation — Benton Police Department, Lenders Title, Alpha Delta Kappa, Metropolitan National Bank, Benton Mayor Rick Holland’s office, Maurice’s and state Sen. Shane Broadway, D-Bryant.
• Special Recognition — Jennifer Kelly of Union Bank, who stepped in at the last minute to emcee the event.
• Sponsor Recognition — Arkansas Digital Systems, Everett Buick Pontiac GMC, Summit Bank, First United Methodist Church Roundtable Sunday School Class, Yakety Yak, Landers, Bankers Life and Casualty, Saline Memorial Hospital, Union Bank, Graphics Xpress and Pennwords.
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