The summer months bring annual traditions to the area and over the next two weeks, one of the brightest ones will shine, all in the name of fighting cancer.
The American Cancer Society Relay for Life is a 24-hour event designed to raise awareness and funds for programs and research to help battle cancer in its many forms.
So far, Southern Columbia and Line Mountain held their events raising a combined total of $60,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Now it is Mount Carmel's turn with the event set for Friday and Saturday, starting at 2 p.m., at the Silver Bowl.
Next week, Shamokin Area will hold its event at Kemp Memorial Stadium June 17 and 18.
At Mount Carmel, participants will follow the theme of the event, "Reaching for the Stars," says event chairperson Janine Haertter.
"With the Relay, the stars can represent those we love that we have lost to this disease, or the stars are the goal of why we do this event, to find the cure for this horrible disease," Haertter said.
The event, starting at 2 p.m. Friday, will feature several musical acts, events for all ages, the annual solemn luminaria ceremony when all activity pauses to remember those lost to cancer.
"We go 24 hours in this event, because cancer never sleeps," the chairperson said.
There will also be a survivors and caregivers ceremony, which celebrates and honors those that have won their fight, or continue to battle cancer, and the caregivers that ease their burden.
"I would hope the public comes out and supports our event," Haertter said. "The money we raise here will go a long way to caring for those with cancer. Besides that, we all have a great time out here and we want to share that."
In Shamokin, this year's event will celebrate the music of rock 'n' roll with its theme, "Rockin' Around the Relay."
With teams named the "Rockin' Relayers" and the "Sandys and Dannys," reminiscent of the main characters from the movie "Grease," Kemp Memorial Stadium will be mixing fun and philanthropy from 1 p.m. June 17 to 1 p.m. June 18.
The event will feature a performance by entertainer Vic Boris from 7 to 8 p.m. Friday, a special surprise singer and the rock band Slow Motion Catastrophe from 10:30 p.m. to midnight.
In a recent letter to the editor, Relay Chairperson Kathy Masser talked about the money raised during the event.
"Sixty percent of the money that is raised by the different Relay for Life teams, including the relay held each year at Kemp Memorial Stadium in Coal Township, stays within the community, while the remaining 40 percent goes to research," Masser said. "The research dollars come back to our community every day with the treatments that people are taking that never would have been available if the research had not been done."
The annual survivor celebration and lap will start at 6 p.m. June 17, and a luminaria ceremony will be held at 9:30 p.m. with performances by Lauren Zimmerman, Brian Christiana, Angelica Masser and a special guest singer.
Shamokin's relay also features a chance for playful mischief with two events. For a donation, the public can take part in the annual pie throw with local celebrities State Rep. Kurt Masser, Coal Township Commissioner George Zalar and News-Item photographer and Sound Off editor Mike "Frog" Staugaitis as targets at 8 p.m. June 17.
At 11 a.m., current Shamokin Area School Board directors and candidates will take their turn in the water balloon chair, from 11 a.m. to noon. Those signed up to sit in the chair include current school board members Tracey Witmer and Mark Anonia and board candidates Bernie Sosnoskie and Ron McElwee.