How long did you work for Relay for Life?

I worked with Relay for Life for 20 years. This past year I was chairman for the county.

What were your responsibilities as chairman?

I made sure activities were planned and the teams were put together. My big thing was working on sponsors, getting sponsors and their money. As chairman you have to make sure everything runs smooth and everything clicks.

What kind of impact do you think Relay for Life has had on our community?

I think Demopolis is very proud of what Relay for Life does. They support it money-wise, whether they support in their person or not. They don&8217;t come out and support it like I wish they would, but they make their donations and are very supportive. I just wish more would come out the night of the event because it is a wonderful family atmosphere. You can turn your children loose and they can run around and play. We have activities for the small children and the adults. It is a wonderful opportunity if you can get everybody to come out, and that is a hard job.

What do the funds raised for Relay for Life go toward?

Everyone is going to be touched by cancer or has been or will be probably in their lifetime. The money we raise in Marengo County goes for research. It goes for helping people go back and forth for treatments. You can apply for money to help you with transportation. It goes to just any number of things. If you read the information from the American Cancer Society, we are making strides every day. There are just so many people now that are survivors.

How many people locally are survivors?

On our list of survivors in Marengo County, we have well over 100 people. We have some that have been survivors for 20 years. That is almost unheard of, for that many survivors.

What made you want to start working with the American Cancer Society?

My dad died when he was 52 years old from lung cancer and it made an impact on me. When I came to work at Robertson Bank they had a really active team. Francis Cork was the chairman and she got me involved. It just bloomed from there. She stepped down and others would take over. It kind of grew to what it was last year. Last year, we raised more money than we have ever raised in Marengo County.

Will you be involved in this year&8217;s event?

I&8217;m going to retire the first day of January. But I feel sure I&8217;ll be a part of Robertson Bank&8217;s team, just as a member. I will never quit, but I don&8217;t want all the responsibility.

What are some things people can do to help with the effort?

They can get teams set up at their business and raise money. They can come out the night of the relay and support it that way. Their companies can be sponsors.

What is something many people do to contribute?

A c-note is where a person can make a $100 donation to the American Cancer Society and they can call and send as many memorials during the year as they want to. In other words, whereas you might send in $25 every time you made a donation, you can donate $100 one time and send as many memorials as you want. That&8217;s a wonderful thing. We have a ton of people who do that, but we can always use some more.