FARMINGTON — The Franklin County Relay for Life kickoff will take place at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 at the Bass Room at Franklin Memorial Hospital.

The theme is Medieval.

“The kickoff is a great place to go to get your questions answered,” Chairman Dee LaPlant said. “We encourage anyone who thinks they might be interested in participating in the Relay to join us, as well as those who have participated before. You’ll find out what the Relay is all about and changes from last year to this year.

“We’re looking forward to getting medieval on cancer!” LaPlant said.

The Relay for Life is a 12-hour, overnight event when teams raise money to fight cancer.

It is set for 6 p.m. Friday, May 30, through 6 a.m. Saturday, May 31, at the Farmington Fairgrounds.

The Relay is the major volunteer-driven fundraising event for the American Cancer Society. It has raised billions of dollars since its founding in 1985. Locally, the event raised $45,530 last year, with 26 teams participating.

“We are hoping to raise $45,000 this year,” LaPlant said.

Having a theme helps make the event fun. Teams generally incorporate the theme into their campsites and activities.

“We can expect to see a lot of things involving knights and knaves,” LaPlant said.  “There isn’t anything fun about cancer. We are all about turning a negative into a positive.

“At the Relay, we celebrate, remember and fight back. We celebrate our survivors, we remember our loved ones who did not survive and we fight back for more and better treatments,” she added.

The kickoff provides an opportunity to rally teams returning from previous events and introduce new teams to the event.

“Anyone planning to have a team and anyone who thinks they are interested in participating but want more information should attend this event,” LaPlant said. “There will be refreshments and door prizes and ample opportunity to find out what it is all about.”

Some teams have registered online. People don’t have to go to the kickoff to register a team, but many people find it helpful, she said.

To register online, go to www.relayforlife.org/franklinme. The local event also has a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/relayfranklin. “Like” the page for updates on events and activities related to the Relay.

For more information, contact Mac Watts at the ACS office in Topsham, (800) 464-3102, ext. 3704, or email mac.watts@cancer.org.