Relay For Life kickoff party tonight

The Carson City Relay for Life will kick off its annual effort to fight cancer with an open house celebration 5:30-8 p.m. tonight at the Carson Nugget.

"The kickoff party is a way for the community to come out and learn more about Relay for Life, and different ways they can get involved, whether it's starting a team, or doing a sponsorship," Stacey Dutra, co-chair of this year's event, said in a press release.

The open house features information about starting a Relay team, and how to raise funds to benefit the American Cancer Society's mission of finding a cure for cancer.

"Everyone has been touched by cancer," said fellow co-chair Michelle Bertocchi. "The kickoff is when we encourage people to start doing whatever they can to raise the money to fight back against this disease."

The Carson City Relay for Life event will take place at Edmonds Sports Complex on July 17-18.

The event is like a big carnival, with games and activities for people of all ages. Besides the fun, there are also emotionally stirring moments when the survivors of cancer are celebrated, and the victims remembered.

Organizers are hoping to sign up 100 teams this year, with a goal of exceeding the $125,000 raised at last year's event.

So far, 97 people have signed up and raised $2,192.

Teams engage in fundraising activities before and during the event, everything from car washes to garage sales to dunk tanks.

For more information or to register your team, go to carsonrelay.org. Register your team before the kickoff and save $50.

You can also keep in touch with the group via the Carson City Relay for Life page on Facebook, or on Twitter at twitter.com/carsonrelay.