Honored survivors Earnest and Dorothy Chittick are introduced by Susie Bowman at Monday night's Relay For Life Survivor's Dinner. (Times photo/Tim Blair) [Click to enlarge]

The Family Life Center in Piggott was the site for the third annual Clay County Relay For Life Survivors Dinner Monday night, as the local relay kicked-off the busiest week of the year. Several dozen survivors, along with their families and friends, were on hand for the event. The annual relay will be held this Saturday at Piggott's Heritage Park.

Susie Bowman, this year's chair for the event, served as master of ceremonies at the dinner and opened the evening by introducing the 2008 steering committee. Afterward this year's honored chairs, Dorothy and Earnest Chittick of Rector, were introduced to those in attendance. Piggott mayor Gerald Morris then offered some words of welcome and the blessing for the meal. During the course of the dinner the crowd was entertained by Patrick Patterson as he sang and played his guitar.

Following the dinner those on hand took part in the ceremonial lighting of the candles. The local relay committee also handed out books of inspirational poetry by Kevin Nowak to those in attendance. Several lucky folks also took home the table centerpieces, which were given away as door prizes.

This year's Relay For Life will kick-off at 9 a.m. Saturday with the registration for the Survivors Walk. At 9:45 the Honored Survivors, Dorothy and Earnest Chittick, will be introduced and the annual Survivors Walk is set for 10 a.m.

Other activities on the schedule include: at 11 a.m. there will be a "Fight Back" ceremony, at 2 p.m. there will be an Honor Walk for members of the National Guard and other members of the military service, at 5 p.m. the silent auction will wrap up and at 8 p.m. the trophies will be handed out. The day will draw to a close beginning at 8:30 with the luminary ceremony and the final walk.

The committee has also scheduled several entertainers beginning at 11:15 a.m. with Patrick Patterson and Cole Thomas, at 1 p.m. it will be The Dooleys, at 2:15 Bailey Haney, Lindsey Ford and Anna Blackshare will perform, at 3 p.m. Doyle Jenkins, Leland Dees, Sherman Jorman and Tim Roberts will be featured, at 4 p.m. the Wil Whaley Band will perform and at 7 p.m. the Buzzard Run Bluegrass Band will be making an appearance.

Organizers also report that there will be plenty of booths set up at the park throughout the day offering a variety of food, games and fun. They invite everyone to come out and be a part of this year's Relay For Life and help win the fight against cancer.