Nearly 20 team captains for the Dallas County Relay for Life gathered Tuesday evening at the Hank Sanders Technology Center at Wallace Community College-Selma to brainstorm ideas on how to raise cancer awareness.

The Relay for Life chairperson Tanya Miles and her sister, co-chairperson, Veronica Brown, led the discussion on how to raise money, decorate tent sites, form teams and target food vendors for the event scheduled April 29.

“We want community involvement and everyone to participate,” Brown said. “Our goal is to have 50 teams signed up.”

With 42 teams already planning to participate, Brown said each team develops their own fundraising projects. Along with donations from businesses, Brown also wants students to get involved in the effort.

“We’ve had a lot of supporters from Dallas County Schools and this year we want Selma City Schools to participate,” Brown said.

The annual Relay is slated for April 29 beginning at 6 p.m. This year’s theme is “Cancer Has No Borders.”

Alisa Smiley-Simpson battled breast cancer in 2005. In her first year as team captain, she represents team Selma High School as a survivor.

“I was a little nervous at first to do this but the students have been really supportive,” Simpson said. “Since I became diagnosed with breast cancer I’ve been a part of Relay for Life. This is a way to promote awareness throughout the community and I’m excited.”

The American Cancer Society Relay for Life will hold a cancer survivors banquet named in Brown and Miles’ sister’s honor, Sherri S. James, on April 25 at 6 p.m. at the Carl C. Morgan Convention Center.

Brown said she wants the event to be special for survivors and their families.

“Our biggest thing is to reach survivors,” Brown said. “We want to have sponsored tables for $250 each, so there won’t be a financial burden on survivors. We will have a Mardi Gras Stroll and crown a King and Queen. It will be touching.”

Those interested in joining a team or creating one, can contact Miles’ personally through email at milests95@hotmail.com to receive a kit with information about future meeting dates and online registration. All teams must register online.

If you are a survivor or know someone who is a survivor and would like to attend the Survivors’ Banquet, please contact Brown at 412-6238.

The next team captain meeting will be held March 15 at 5:30 p.m. inside the conference room of the Hank Sanders Technology Building.