Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
About $5,000 was raised at the event.
PORTALES — The weather was perfect and the activities were plentiful but the 2018 Relay for Life of Roosevelt County did not draw the turnout organizers were anticipating.
"We were hoping for a bigger crowd so it's a little disappointing we didn't have as many folks out, but the crew that's here has been fantastic," said Casey Peacock, co-chair of the event leadership team for Relay for Life of Roosevelt County.
"It's a good event. We are very appreciative of the people that have come out today so far."
Peacock said organizers have been promoting the event for weeks via social media, radio, through the Roosevelt Chamber of Commerce and other methods, but it's difficult for people to find an opening in their jam-packed summer schedules.
"It's just a tough time of year," Peacock said. "There's lot of stuff going on so it's a tough time of year to get crowds out for things."
But those who were in attendance, like Miss Portales Kelsey Prince, did not let the low turnout get in the way of having a good time.
"I think it's going great," Prince said. "The volunteers really put in a lot of hard work for it, it's a lot of fun and we've got perfect weather."
Prince said her grandmother passed away following a battle with ovarian cancer, "so these events are always really important to me for people to be involved in."
Prince was not the only person present on Sunday whose family has been touched by cancer.
"Cancer affects every family, nobody is immune to it and I relay because there wasn't a cure for my son," said Ann Clark, who's son passed away from cancer 25 years ago. "No parent should have to bury their child but it happens all the time. Our children should not have to die from cancer."
Clark said she appreciated the fact that some of the money raised on Saturday will go to benefit the Hope Lodge in Lubbock, which her stepfather made use of during his battle with cancer.
"That is a wonderful facility. You stay there for free, the patient and their caregiver," Clark said. "It's like a motel room with two queen beds, laundry, kitchen units, it was amazing. It kept them from having to get a hotel room or driving back and forth, which would have been really a hardship on them."
The activities on Saturday included live music performances, a dominoes tournament, face painting, balloon animals and a dunk tank.
Saturday's fundraising totaled about $5,000, Clark said, and will be combined with the proceeds from the upcoming Saturday mushball tournament.