Photos by Deb Gau Chuck Deutz, of Deutz Auctioneers, opened the bidding Friday night on a commemorative Relay For Life quilt. The quilt squares are made from T-shirts from each of Relay For Life of Lyon County’s 25 years.

MARSHALL — There were just about as many ways to describe Relay For Life’s purpose as there were people gathered at the Red Baron Arena on Friday night. They were honoring loved ones, participants said. They were helping to keep hopes high.

But most importantly, participants said, they were fighting.

“We’re here to crush cancer,” Michael Hoffman said.

Hoffman was one of the keynote speakers at Relay For Life of Lyon County’s 25th annual event on Friday.

“We’ve come a long way from the luminary track that just went around the commercial building at the county fairgrounds,” said Betsy Jo Kack, chairwoman of the 2018 Relay For Life leadership team.

On its 25th anniversary, Relay For Life of Lyon County hadn’t just reached a calendar milestone, Kack said. Over the years, the event has raised a total of more than $2.1 million for the American Cancer Society, she said.

“Imagine what that $2 million has done,” she said. “We should be proud of what we’ve done in Lyon County in the past 25 years.”

The relay went all night at the Arena and Expo, with activities including kids’ games and a silent auction, as well as lighting luminarias in honor of people who had cancer.

Looking out over the arena, you could see plenty of Relay participants in brightly colored T-shirts identifying them as part of a fundraising team. Brittany Larson and Nic Gramstad were wearing neon pink shirts as members of “Pritty Debbie’s Divas and Dudes.”

Larson said the team was formed in memory of her mother Debbie, who died earlier this year.

“Pink was actually her favorite color,” Larson said. By taking part in Relay For Life, Larson said, “We’re celebrating my mom’s life,” as well as working to help keep other people from ever having to lose a family member to cancer.

Survivors and caretakers also shared their stories during opening ceremonies Friday night. Lori Coleman said she became a caregiver after working as a personal care assistant for Marcia Klaith. Klaith died late last year.

“I learned so much from Marcia,” Coleman said.

Coleman said she prayed that a cure for cancer will be found, and she encouraged others to keep fighting.

Linda Fultz, one of Relay For Life of Lyon County’s 2018 honorary survivors, said having a positive attitude and the support of family, friends and doctors made a big difference for her. Fultz was diagnosed with glioblastoma in 2016, and she’s undergone surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. The cancer and treatment have affected Fultz’s sight and speech, and her daughter Jen helped read her keynote speech Friday.

“The past 18 months have been a roller coaster,” both physically and emotionally, Fultz said. But through it all, she said, “I am a survivor.”

Hoffman, a 2018 honorary survivor, was no stranger to Relay For Life. He was Lyon County’s first honorary survivor 25 years ago.

“Twenty-five years is really awesome,” Hoffman said of the event’s longevity. He also spoke about some of the awesome people in the fight against cancer, including caregivers and childhood cancer survivors.

Hoffman said cancer care and research have made a lot of progress in the past 25 years, and hopefully that knowledge can continue to grow while minimizing the “collateral damage” to people who have the disease.

Relay is an event that raises hopes, not just money, Hoffman said. “I want to keep crushing cancer.”