Newtown’s Relay For Life Co-Chairs Addie Sandler and Michelle Babyak are ready, dozens of volunteers are ready, nearly 400 team members are ready, now all the annual American Cancer Society fund and awareness raiser needs is the community to come out and make the 2011 Relay a complete success.

The annual event is happening this weekend, beginning Saturday, June 4, at 6 pm and ending at 5 am Sunday, June 5.

“This is not a sporting event,” Ms Sandler said, “it’s a community celebration in honor of all our parents, siblings, friends, neighbors, and co-workers who are facing, or who have survived cancer.”

“And it’s also a way to show how Newtown as a community sticks by and supports the survivors of those who lost the fight,” Ms Babyak added.

The new Relay site located between the Newtown Youth Academy and the Newtown Municipal Center at Fairfield Hills can accommodate well over 1,500 visitors for activities that begin with the pre-Relay Kids for a Cure cancer fundraiser, which runs from 4:30 to 6 pm.

The official opening ceremonies and Survivors’ Lap kicks off at 6 pm, and all the public activities, food, games, entertainment, and educational activities continue through midnight, when the Relay site closes to the general public.

“There will also be a full Catholic Mass and an ecumenical service open to the public,” Ms Babyak said. “And a special Survivors’ Lounge inside the Youth Academy will have drinks and snacks as well as air conditioning so everybody will be comfortable.”

There is no charge to attend the relay. And there will be food, beverages, and snacks available to purchase along with fundraising games and other family-style activities going on through the evening at individual team tent sites.

See the schedule in this week’s Newtown Bee on Page A11, or go to Relayforlife.org/newtownct for more information.