With the 2023 Relay For Life of Greater Stanislaus County on the schedule this fall, the official kickoff is planned for Thursday, March 23. The kickoff will be hosted at the North Modesto Church of God, 1918 Sherwood Ave., Modesto.

Relay itself will be a 24-hour team event starting Saturday, Sept. 30 and running through Sunday, Oct. 1 at John Thurman Field in Modesto.

Teams from Oakdale, Riverbank, Escalon and surrounding communities take part in addition to those teams from Modesto and Turlock. This year, some participants are also coming in from the Tracy and Lathrop areas to join the local Relay.

This will be the third year the combined, regional Relay For Life has been staged at John Thurman Field and goals have been set by the Event Leadership Team, including raising $150,000 and having 50 registered teams. The 2023 theme is Strike Out Cancer, in conjunction with being held at John Thurman Field, home of the Modesto Nuts minor league baseball team.

The kickoff begins at 6:30 p.m. and all those interested in learning more about Relay For Life and how to get involved are welcome to attend. Officials said they are making progress toward their goals, with over 30 teams already registered.

There are a number of fundraising events put on by teams in the months leading up to Relay For Life, and all funds help provide for education, research, advocacy and patient services for those fighting the battle against cancer.

This month includes a Spring Craft and Vendor Market, set for Saturday, March 25 at the North Modesto Church of God, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; a portion of the proceeds will benefit Relay For Life.