The Marengo County Relay for Life exceeded its goal of $79,168 in a big way, bringing in $86,630.70 as of Monday, making the American Cancer Society’s signature fund-raising event a success.

“We blew it out of the water!” said Jennifer Hallman, the community representative of the American Cancer Society. “This was more than we announced at the event on Friday night. I am so excited for this!

The Relay for Life campaign culminated in the main event on Friday at the River Field in Demopolis, where the 19 teams and 375 participants had a great time through this year’s theme, “Carnival.” Carnival-style games — including a dunking booth, a ring toss and inflatable slides — also helped to raise funds for cancer research, education and treatment.

Of the funds raised, the top team from the RockTenn Demopolis mill raised $35,039.02, or 40.44 percent of the grand total, earning the team the Diamond Fundraising Club status.

The Walmart team placed second with $9,564.74 raised, or 11.04 percent of the total, earning it Gold Fundraising Club status.

Earning Silver Fundraising Club status were the Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital team, with $7,051.52 raised; the Robertson Banking Company team, which raised $6,662.14; and the Walk for Life team in memory of Leigh Ward Abrams, raising $5,413.

Earning Bronze Fundraising Club status were the team from Foster Farms, which raised $4,504.64, and the team from Quest Club of Linden, which raised $4,494.29.

Amedisys Home Health Services, the title sponsor this year, raised $2,320.50, while Sweet Water State Bank raised $2,156 and Christian Chapel Baptist Church raised $1,892.76.

Youth teams included the Demopolis High School DECA and Key clubs, which raised $978.21, the Youth Leadership Board, which raised $762.30, and the John Essex High School Beta Club, which raised $563.25.

The top three individual fund-raisers were Tommy Vice of the Robertson Banking Company team, who raised $2,019; Jimbo Ward of the Walk for Life team, who raised $2,000; and Linda Wilson of the Quest Club team, who raised $985.

At the Relay for Life event on Friday, the most spirited teams were the Walmart team, the Christian Chapel Baptist Church team and the Amedisys Home Health Services team.

The best on-site fund-raiser was Robertson Banking Company, and the best team campsites were the RockTenn site, the Foster Farms site and the Amedisys Home Health Services site.

Teams will have a wrap-up party meeting on Tuesday, April 27, at 6 p.m. at Robertson Banking Company’s downtown branch.