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Cancer fundraiser antes up with Vegas theme

Las Vegas is known as the entertainment capital of the world, but for one weekend in May organizers of the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life are hoping to make Masich Place Stadium the entertainment hub of the region.
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Relay for Life organizers with their dice left to right Helen Owen with Canadian Cancer Society, Richard Fairservice with All North Consulting and Relay for life leadership chair Davy Greenlees.

Las Vegas is known as the entertainment capital of the world, but for one weekend in May organizers of the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life are hoping to make Masich Place Stadium the entertainment hub of the region.

From a blackjack tournament for adults, to a Monopoly tournament for children to live music, organizers are betting on this year's Las Vegas theme to liven up an event that's already one of the largest of its kind in the country.

"The biggest changes are going to be at night when we light things up," Relay for Life leadership chairman Davy Greenlees said Tuesday at an event kick-off news conference. "It should be a really cool atmosphere."

The "lighting up the strip" is one way to bring a Vegas atmosphere to Prince George and organizers are encouraging participants to get in on the action by dressing up and decorating their tents in Vegas-style attire.

The annual fundraiser is set for May 10-11 this year and once again Prince George is host to the only 24-hour relay in Canada.

New this year is a blackjack competition, with a final table set for 3 a.m. Tickets for the tournament will be sold separately and more details will be available closer to the event.

"They'll do a tournament leading up and then the highest seven people in the end will play in the finale at night," Greenlees said. "Prince George Taxi has donated some cash, so there will be a cash prize at the end."

This year children's activities will run later in the evening in years past to encourage more families to come to the event after dinner time on May 10.

For the second year in a row, Allnorth has stepped forward as the event sponsor. Allnorth civil design group lead Richard Fairservice said the company has been involved in the relay for many years with its Allnorth Allstars team, but is pleased to be involved again in a larger capacity.

Registration for the event is closed, with 145 teams and 1,450 participants set to take part in the massive fundraiser. Greenlees said the number of people is down slightly from years past, but that those who are involved have been raising more money.

So far the event has brought in $180,000, but that total will continue to rise in the days leading up to the event. Last year the event brought in more than $548,000, the second highest total in Canada. Organizers are still hoping to beat that total this year and move into first place.

"Fundraising should be full speed ahead for the last little bit here," Greenlees said.

This year for every $500 a participant raises by May 7 at 4:30 p.m., they will get one entry into a draw for a 2014 Jeep Cherokee donated by Northland Dodge. The draw will be held at the closing ceremony on May 11.

Non-participants are invited to come to the event to take part in many of the entertainment options on site, including live music this year following the luminary ceremony at midnight.

The opening ceremony is 10 a.m. on May 10, the fight back ceremony is 7 p.m. and closing ceremony is at 10 a.m. on May 11.

"We especially want to invite all cancer survivors and their caregivers to join us for the opening ceremony and the survivors victory lap," Relay for Life team lead Helen Owen said.

Of the 1,450 participants, 17 have committed to walking for the full 24 hours. For the endurance athletes among the registrants, there's also a chance to turn their relay into a marathon.

"If you do 110 laps of the stadium, you've done a marathon," Owen said. "So if you're interested in that, come on by and check us out."

There will also be a people's choice awards, complete with prizes, for those with the most popular costumes and decorations.