RUMFORD – A benefit dance for local charities will be held Saturday, May 17, at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall. The Travelers band will play from 8 p.m. until midnight. The doors open at 7:30.

There also will be a 50/50 raffle. Tickets are $7 a person and $12 per couple. Tickets may be purchased at Tours By Troy on Congress Street, at Paradise Spa in Mexico or by calling 369-9330.

Legion auxiliary

DIXFIELD – The American Legion Auxiliary 100 will meet at 6 p.m. Sunday, May 11, at the Legion.

Elks’ breakfast

RUMFORD – The Rumford Elks Lodge will hold a Mother’s Day Service and Breakfast on Sunday, May 11. The service will be at 9 a.m. Afterward, the breakfast will consist of French toast, sausage, coffee and orange juice. Mothers will eat for free, and all others will pay $2.

Poignant lights

RUMFORD – Hundreds of luminaria candles will be lit during the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in honor of cancer survivors and in memory of those who have died of the disease. The luminaria will line the event track, lighting the way for Relay For Life participants to walk side by side. This ceremony will take place at 9:30 p.m. Friday, May 30, at Hosmer Field.

“”As the luminarias light up the night, it is so painfully clear why we are here and why we need to continue to raise money for cancer research, education, advocacy and service,”” said Diane Mitchell, chairwoman of the event. Each of the luminaria contains the name of someone whom friends and family want to honor or to memorialize. They may be purchased up until the day of the event by calling Mitchell at 364-8358 or Ray Kautzman of the American Cancer Society, 373-3724.

Relay For Life is an 18-hour event. It brings together teams from local businesses, schools, churches and families for camaraderie, food, fun, music and entertainment while team members take turns walking or running on a track. It kicks off with a cancer survivors’ lap and reception.

For information about cancer, people can call the American Cancer Society’s National Cancer Information Center, (800) 227-2345 or visit its Web site, www.cancer.org.