CHOCOWINITY — With Beaufort County’s Relay for Life just around the corner, one long-time team of participants are gearing up for another year of raising awareness for cancer victims.

Union Chapel Free Will Baptist of Chocowinity has participated in Beaufort County Relay for Life since its inception, said Edie Findley, team captain. A church member, Bill Clark, originally led the team but has since stepped down and Findley has taken leadership. Raising money strictly through donations, the church does not host any type of fundraiser, Findley said.

“Our church feels like donations are a good way versus having to do fundraisers,” Findley said. “What money we raise is just through people giving.

Findley said the church budgets money each year to sponsor its Relay team, taking care of any finances associated with registration fees, and each year, the church hosts a pig pickin’ on Friday night at the event where not only the team but church members, totaling anywhere from 100 to 150 people, attend and fellowship.

Some years, the church sponsors two teams for Relay, but for the most part, it has about 30 to 35 people who regularly participate, Findley said. But each of the participating individuals raises his or her money several different ways. One member of the team, Mindy Davis, a Bath Elementary School teacher, raises money through selling wrist bands for cancer awareness, conducting a hat day at the school and several other ways, according to Findley. And each year, the school’s Parent/Teacher Organization matches the money Davis raises. Other team members sell Krispy Kreme donuts, Findley said.

Findley said the church even garnishes support from a company in Craven County. David Clark, a member of the church, who passed away three years ago from an accident at PotashCorp-Aurora, used to raise $2,000 to $2,500 a year for Relay. Having worked for Trader Construction based out of New Bern, a contractor at PCS, Clark is remembered by his former coworkers through their continued participation in Beaufort County’s chapter of Relay, Findley said.

“They brought me $2,500 in memory of David because they knew how much it meant to him,” Findley said. “They come on that Friday night (of Relay) and bring members who worked with David and they participate in our dinner and the Survivor’s Lap. David was so passionate about Relay that they still keep his memory alive in our community.”

With approximately 30 survivors that attend the church, Union Chapel participates in Relay to honor those who have fallen victim to cancer, Findley said. The Sunday before Relay, the church even hosts a Survivor Sunday, honoring those members. The church raises about $7,000 to $8,000 per year on average, but this year, Findley’s goal is for the church to raise $10,000, she said. Another goal is for all members of the church, who are survivors, to participate in the Survivor Lap of Relay, the inaugural lap of the event meant for honoring those who have survived cancer.

“Cancer has inundated our church, and the pastor’s wife is a survivor of about three and a half years,” Findley said. “Our church became involved because Bill’s (Clark) mom and dad both had cancer. We have a lot of survivors in our church and that’s why we Relay.”

This year, Relay for Life in Beaufort County will be held on May 1 and May 2 at Washington High School. The chapter has set a goal of registering at least 300 survivors and beating its monetary contribution from last year, which was $126,000, according to Dawn Johnston, chairperson for Beaufort County chapter of Relay for Life.

Johnston said the chapter will continue meeting each month leading up to this year’s event. Team captain meetings at Beaufort County Community College’s Building 8 Auditorium are scheduled for the third Thursday night of each month, which includes Jan. 15, March 19 and April 16. The event leadership team will meet the first Thursday night of each month leading up to the event at First United Methodist Church of Washington, which includes Jan. 8, Feb. 5, March 5 and April 2.

Anyone interested in volunteering, starting a team or for more information about 2015 Beaufort County Relay For Life, contact Dawn Johnston at 252-943-5061 or dawnjohnston27817@gmail.com, Carol West at 252-944-3814 orcarol_boyd_west@yahoo.com or Sonya Fortescue at 252-945-1501 orspmfort03@hotmail.com. For more information about the “Road to Recovery” program, visit www.volunteertodrive.org or contact Denise Hockaday, ACS staff partner, at 252-695-9054 or denise.hockaday@cancer.org.