The final totals for Clinton County’s 2013 Relay For Life are in and they are even better than earlier projected right after the event was held in late April.

A yearly wrap-up meeting of sorts was held Monday evening at the Early Childhood Center with about nine people on hand, including team captains and this year’s co-chairpersons, Crystal Pillar and Samantha Bowlin. The meeting was conducted by Heather Rogers, area representative for the American Cancer Society.

Rogers announced that through the work and generosity of Clinton Countians, a total of $73,668 was raised locally for the ACS fight against cancer. This exceeds the goal of $70,000 set for this year and also is about $6,000 above the $66 to $67 thousand collected a year ago.

Not only was the money totals one of the best ever for Albany and Clinton County, despite the economy, some other notables occurred in what is the 100th anniversary year of the American Cancer Society organization itself.

Kathleen Gregory announced there was about 217 luminaries at this year’s event, a new record and 37 cancer survivors in attendance, another record for the local Relay For Life event, that was held April 26-27 at Clinton County High School.

A total of 12 teams participated in raising money over the past several months, including three new teams–the CCHS Cheerleaders, Monticello Bank and People’s Bank–all of which did well in their pilot year of team participation.

With the 2013 event just weeks behind them, the committee that met Monday night already began discussing the 2014 event and how to make it even bigger and better, including some changes discussed for the night of the program and the set-up at the gymnasium to better accommodate those who attend, especially cancer survivors themselves.

Gregory also noted that next year, she hopes more people purchase their luminaries in advance of the primary Relay For Life night and it was mentioned that survivors would like to continue the pictorial part of the Relay.

Plans will be to give cancer survivors themselves a better location at the event, among other possible changes to make the night better. Some also noted that cancer survivors who attend the event for the first time are a little nervous and don’t know what to expect and organizers would like to make it as comfortable as possible for those attendees.

There will also be some vacancies as far as workers for the event in Clinton County next year, as some will not be able to return in the same capacity for various reasons.

The calendar year’s first planning began in late January and an early 2014 planning committee meeting will be held in late summer and a survivor dinner is being planned for this November.

Also, the fight against cancer doesn’t end at 6 a.m. the following morning of the Relay For Life main event, as fundraisers are held by teams throughout the year. For example, one team will be hosting a motorcycle ride next month and more details about that event will be published later.

The following is a listing of each team and its total raised for the 2013 Clinton County Relay For Life:

Albany Elementary School–$1,290.14; Ampyss Healthcare Solutions–$3,109; Albany First Baptist Church–$3,702.65; Clinton County Care and Rehab–$229; Clinton County High School Cheerleaders–$1,645.32; Clinton County Hospital–$2,562.55; Early Childhood Center–$2,499.65; First and Farmers National Bank–$723.73; Keystone Foods–$41,828; Monticello Banking Company–$2,203.27; People’s Bank and Trust–$1,525; Somerset Community College/Clinton Center–$1,521.95.

The Relay For Life committee would like to thank everyone who participated in any way in this year’s event, including those who spent volunteer time to raise funds and those who generously donated to the cause in the fight against cancer, a disease that claims several local lives each year.

Any one business, group or organization interested in forming a team is invited to attend any Relay For Life meeting or contact Lisa Smith or Renee Parrigin for more information.