Twenty teams participated in the annual Ellis County American Cancer Society Relay for Life, six more than last year.

Co-chairman Lonnie Claycamp attributes the increase to shortening the event to just 5 hours, instead of the usual 12.

“People are busy and have a hard time committing to an overnight camping event on the weekend, so we changed to 7p.m.-12 midnight, instead of the 7p.m.-7a.m. as in years past,” he said.

As usual, teams gathered Friday night at 7 o’clock around Felten Middle School in Hays, with a survivors lap kicking off the event.

Featured speaker Dr. Anne O’Dea of the Hays Med Dreiling-Schmidt Cancer Center updated current cancer research projects which have been funded by the American Cancer Society.  Four grants totaling more than $2.4 million are currently in place in Kansas.

More than $50-thousand was raised Friday night.  The RFL Committee has a goal of $70-thousand dollars, which Claycamp says is within reach with another two events this weekend–Friday’s SACS Relay for Life Golf Tournament and the Stars and Stripes Breakfast at the Hays VFW Sunday morning.

See more from the 2012 Relay for Life later this week on Street Beat Eagle Community TV Channel 14.