With the beginning of a new year comes the return of an event that is an annual highlight for many: Franklin County Relay for Life.

No, the main event isn’t until May, but Relay 2017 will get its start in Franklin County in a couple of weeks with a special kick-off event.

Relay for Life coordinator Anna Duncan said everyone is invited to participate in the Jan. 17 Relay Kick-off at the A.W. Todd Centre in Russellville. While all teams that are already registered are encouraged to attend, Duncan said this is also a great time to commit to Relay and officially register a team.

The Relay Kick-off is an important start to “Relay season” because “this gets us fired up – reminding us of all the wonderful reasons that we Relay,” Duncan explained. “Relay For Life is not just another fundraiser. What our teams contribute has a life changing impact on people.”

The kick-off event will feature a baked potato bar and dessert as well as a number of participatory activities.

“We’ll be discussing this year’s theme and why we think it’s so impactful,” Duncan said. “We will also have a guest speaker sharing their story, and there will be an interactive activity correlating with this year’s theme.” The theme selected is Celebrate Hope: Defeating All Cancers. “Our theme will play huge role in our ‘why’ this year,” Duncan said.

The kick-off event is free and will begin at 6 p.m. Jan. 17. People who plan to attend should RSVP to janice@franklinbaptist1898.org by Jan. 11.