More than 500 Edgecombe County residents are expected take part in one of the nation’s larger fundraisers for cancer research, the Relay For Life, this weekend at the Tarboro High School football field.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 6 p.m. Friday and the Survivors lap will be at 6:30 p.m. with the Caregiver lap to follow. Guest speaker for the opening ceremony is Wendy Wheeler. The Relay will be filled with activities, music and food, organizers said.

The highlight of the evening, the Luminary Ceremony, will begin at 9 p.m. Luminarias will be on sale from 5 to 8 p.m. for $10 apiece or three for $25. The Relay ends with a Fight Back ceremony at 8 a.m. Saturday and awards and raffle drawings.

Relay For Life volunteer teams this year are selling $5 raffle tickets for a chance to win a 2012 Scion XB donated by Greenville Toyota Scion. The drawing will be held July 13 at the dealership.

The Relay For Life is an event that gives everyone a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease. At the Edgecombe County Relay, teams of people come out to the football field and take turns walking around the track. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, the Relay is an overnight event.