The Relay For Life of Greene County, which supports the mission of the American Cancer Society, received two awards at the Mid-South Division Summit for their efforts in the fight against cancer.
For 2012, Greene County received special recognition for ranking third in the state of Tennessee and also for ranking ninth in the Mid-South division in fund-raising, after local Relay for Life volunteers raised more than $260,000.
The Mid-South Division includes Tennessee, Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Kentucky and Arkansas.
Members of the Greene Relay committee and top team members learned of the recognition at the annual Summit banquet.
Representatives of some of Greene County's top Relay teams were surprised with a backstage tour of the Ryman Auditorium as a special thank-you for their efforts.
These team representatives included: Karen Lane, of American Greetings; Margarett Owens and Tammy Capps Lamons, of Walmart; and Kathy Crawford, of the Asbury United Methodist Church's Chili Peppers.
Jennifer Teague of Doak Elementary made an exceptional presentation to the 1,200-plus crowd about Doak Elementary School's Relay Recess event, a news release stated.
Attendees from across the division learned not only what Relay Recess can do for educating youth about cancer prevention, but also how to empower youth to cope with cancer in their lives.
Nicki Sentelle, of the American Greetings team, is not only a local Relay volunteer but also a Tennessee State Council representative who assisted with the Summit.
The purpose of the division meeting was not only to recognize the 2012 volunteers but also to train incoming leaders to make a difference in their communities.
Vicky Robinson, the new incoming Relay Team Development Chairperson for Greene County, was one of the leaders to receive training at the event.
"I am blown away by the dedication and generosity of the people of Greene County," Robinson said.
"Greene County is known as a leader for the state and division in the fight against cancer," she added.
The 2013 Relay For Life committee and teams are currently forming locally.
For more information on how to be involved in Greene County's fight against cancer, please contact Robinson at 422-6805 or go online to http://www.relayforlife.org/greenetn to sign up a team.
