Relay For Life brings county together

AMHERST - Hundreds of Cumberland County residents came together to participate in the Relay For Life over the weekend.
The all night event, which began around 4 p.m., Friday and wrapped up just after 6 a.m., Saturday morning, is expected to have raised thousands of dollars for the Canadian Cancer Society.
Several different activities took place throughout the evening, including a survivor's victory lap, a luminary lighting ceremony in memory of those who have died from cancer or are currently fighting the disease, a fight-back ceremony and more.
Michelle Wood, a cancer survivor, was guest speaker during the opening ceremonies.
"There are so many survivors here tonight and you should all be proud. Although everyone's story is different, every story is heroic. Cancer is not an easy thing to go through and I know all of the survivors standing with me tonight can relate to each other's feelings," said Wood, who dedicated her speech to her grandmother, Annie LeBlanc, who passed away nine years ago after battling cancer.
"It has definitely changed my life forever as well as the lives of my family. It has taught us that things can get pretty bad, and in the toughest of times, it is important to hold on to your faith and to fill your thoughts with love," said Wood.
The official figures on how much money was raised were not available as of press time.
Visit www.amherstdaily.com to view a photo gallery of the event.