Each month, one event will be highlighted here to tell their success-story.  Success stories can include a Relay For Life event reaching new heights, staff and volunteers working together, creating new best-practices, overcoming adversity, and much more.  Perhaps, you'll see some of the volunteers mentioned in these stories lurking around in RelayForLife.org.  Watch for them in the blogs, groups and forums.  If we're lucky, they might even share some of their pearls of wisdom.

Relay For Life of Calhoun County, AL

The Mid-South Division has broken into uncharted territory with the Relay For Life of Calhoun County, AL.  The Calhoun County event is the first Relay in the Mid-South Division to break $500,000.  This year, several events in the Mid-South Division competed to be the first event in the "500,000 Club."  Calhoun County, AL is the first (and currently, only) event to reach the $500,000 mark in the Mid-South Division states (AL, AR, KY, LA, MS, TN).  They are willing to welcome with open arms any of the other Mid-South Division events into the "500,000 Club."

Part of Calhoun County's success comes from a 27% increase in number of teams.  They went from 85 teams in 2006 to 108 this year.  The Team Recruitment Chair is also the team captain for Hager Companies, who raised $50,000 (up from $32,000 last year).  Hager Companies has been involved with Relay since the first event in Calhoun County 14 years ago.  Members of Hager Companies' team have already begun planning  fundraisers for the 2008 Relay to be implemented this summer and fall...making the Relay For Life of Calhoun County a year-round Relay.

Event growth can also be attributed to the media coverage.  The Publicity committee worked very hard to secure active media sponsors who delivered very effective advertising for the event.  The media coverage helped to increase visibility of the event, which attracted more teams, sponsors, and survivors.

Calhoun County has seen an increase in survivor attendance, totaling almost 300 this year.  BAE, a National Team Partner, is heavily involved with the success of the Survivor Celebration, while raising more than $35,000 in team fund-raisers.  BAE also provided the Calhoun County event with its Chairperson for 2007.  The Event Chair helped to give high visibility and credibility to the event, which opened doors to new teams and more survivors.  The Chair enthusiastically supported the Relay For Life of Calhoun County.  He gave some great motivational speeches to the Team Captains at monthly meetings.  

Logistics play an important role when you're dealing with 108 teams.  This year, the Logistics committee was made up of more than just one person.  An entire subcommittee assisted with the huge undertaking of accommodating the teams.  Much of the success of the Calhoun County event stems from the corporate support from teams like BAE, Hager Companies, and General Dynamics-OTS, which raised $20,000.

By combining an inspiring Event Chair, an experienced Team Recruitment committee, Survivor committee, and Publicity committee, the Relay For Life of Calhoun County was able to raise the bar for themselves and become the first members of the "500,000 Club," and have bragging rights as the biggest fund-raising event in the Mid-South Division.