By Brenda Sexton, The Courier-Herald

The Buckley community can start "carbing up" for its American Cancer Society Buckley Relay For Life 18-hour walking event June 4 and 5 with a fund-raising spaghetti feed this week.

The Buckley Relay For Life will host the fund-raising spaghetti feed from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the smoke-free Buckley Eagles on state Route 410. Dinner is $5 per person or $15 for a family of four. The group will also host a silent auction from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Local, Nashville-bound country western singer Blaine Larsen will perform a few songs as well.

Relay For Life is a community event designed to raise money for research and programs, draw awareness to the deadly disease, educate people on how to prevent and detect cancer when possible and celebrate the lives of those who have won the battle against one of America's top killers.

Teams of 12 to 18 walkers from businesses, churches, schools, organizations, families and neighborhoods join with the cancer survivor (the honored guests) and their families for the event. It works like this: one member of each team should be on the track throughout the event, whether walking, running, wheel chairing, or sitting in a lawn chair on the track. Each team participant is asked to raise flat donations (not pledges per lap).

Currently, Buckley's Relay For Life has 17 teams registered with a goal of raising $35,000. Last year's inaugural Buckley event drew 15 teams which raised more than $25,000 for the ACS.

Each American Cancer Society Relay For Life kicks off with cancer survivors walking the first lap. This year the event begins at 6 p.m. June 4 at White River High School's track. Buckley organizers are searching the community for survivors to be honored. Anyone wishing to be included, or who knows of someone to include, may contact a relay chairperson.

After the survivor lap, team participants start their rotations for the rest of the event. After dark, luminary bags are lit in honor of those surviving/battling cancer and in memory of those who have lost their lives to the disease. The luminary candles stay lit throughout the night, motivating the walkers through their paces. Entertainment, carnival activities and kids activities, colorful decorated tents, prizes, games and fun for all ages round out the Relay For Life experience. There is also information about the American Cancer Society's educational programs, research, patient services and advocacy efforts.

Relay For Life organizers have picked up sponsorship from the Buckley Chamber of Commerce, White River School District, Mt. Rainier National Bank, The Business Examiner and Rainier Natural Health.

More information is available by calling chairwomen Rosa Villa at 360-897-6497, Lori Wells at 360-829-0100 or Michelle VanHoff with the American Cancer Society at 253-272-5767 or Michelle.VanHoff@cancer.org

Brenda Sexton can be reached at bsexton@courierherald.com