Area cancer survivors take a lap during Relay for Life festivities last week at the Rugby Armory. The event raised over $42,000. Sue Sitter/PCT

“Celebration” by Kool and the Gang was among the songs Pierce County Relay for Life participants heard at last Friday’s event at the Rugby Armory, and celebrate they did.

“It was great,” Relay Organizer Laurie Odden said. “We raised over $42,000 let’s see, so far, $42,485 and there’s still a little bit of money coming in.”

Relay participants walked an indoor track lined with decorated white bags, called luminaria, which held glow sticks later in the evening to light up the way. The bags were decorated to honor cancer fighters and those who had lost their battle with the disease.

Booths sponsored by local relay teams offered games, prizes, merchandise and snacks. A stand outside of the building served barbecue by Henry’s 90WT Ribs of Towner.

Special guest Darlene Tiffany inspired participants with her personal cancer survival story. Other special guests included Miss Bismarck’s Outstanding Teen Ryli Kuhnhenn, and Stacy Jaeger, who read a poem dedicated to caregivers.

Jody Tuchscherer served as mistress of ceremonies, and the Rugby American Legion provided the color guard to kick off the event with a salute to the flag.

Holding the relay indoors “worked out really well,” Odden said. “The decorated luminaria bags looked really nice when we lit them up with glow sticks.”

Odden said she was pleased with the way the relay turned out.

“We had great participation from survivors, families, and the community,” she said. “That’s what we wanted.”

Odden invited those still wishing to send money to the Relay for Life to contact her on the Pierce County Relay for Life’s Facebook page.