The 2016 Pike County Relay for Life fundraising campaign met and exceeded its goal of $110,000 by $15,000 thanks to the hard work of its many volunteers and the generosity of the people of Pike County.

Deedie Carter and Leigh Ann Windham, 2016 Relay co-chairs, announced the total of giving at the Relay for Life culminating event Friday night at the Troy Sportsplex. The announcement was met with cheers from members of the 22 teams that were instrumental in the success of the fundraising campaign in support of the American Cancer Society.

CGI in Troy was the top fundraising team of 2016 with more than $10,000 raised. Park Memorial was the top per capita fundraising team. Alacare won the campsite/tent decoration competition and KW Plastics won the best T-shirt design.

Windham said congratulations were in order for all winners and for everyone involved in the success of the fundraising campaign.

The 2016 Pike County Relay for Life campaign got off to an early start.

“October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Pike County Relay Board sponsored a “Men in Pink” fundraiser that netted $20,000,” Windham said. “Twenty-three men were charged with wearing pink every day of the month to raise awareness of breast cancer. The ‘Men in Pink’ were to encourage the women in their lives to seek screening for early detection of breast cancer and intervention. Then, they were each charged with making a grand gesture of a $1,000 donation to Relay. The $20,000 that ‘Men in Pink’ raised gave us a great jump-start for our 2016 Relay campaign.”

Windham said “Men in Pink” will definitely be a part of the fundraising efforts for Pike County Relay for Life 2017.

“And, it’s not to late to contribute to this year’s campaign,” she said. “The cutoff is not until summer and we will gladly accept in donations.”

Windham and Carter expressed appreciation to the 2016 Relay teams, the dedicated sponsors, the many volunteers and all who gave so generously.

They also recognized the 2016 Pike County Relay for Life board members who have been aboard the campaign since early fall, David Asselstine, Christine Barron, Sandy Boutwell, Lawrence Bowden, Shelby Brown, Michael Bunn, Jessica Cox, Shelia Deveridge, Linda Faust, John Hudson, Dr. James Kimbrough, Lisa Linton, Brittney Meyer, Pamela Parker, Benny Pinckard and Brittany Ragland.