As is customary, rain was part of this year’s Relay for Life in Damascus last weekend.
But a brief shower early Saturday night did little to dampen the spirits of the 677 registered participants, plus countless visitors, who took part in the annual fundraiser, co-chairwoman Claudia Klahre said.
‘‘I’m really just overwhelmed,” she said Monday. ‘‘I’m just so touched by the outpouring of people ... the tenacious attitude of people making every fundraising [idea] count.”
Many teams continued raising funds at the event with children’s games, haircuts, jewelry, food and souvenir sales, and raffles, she said.
Team Life Savers, captained by Cassie Sorna, set up a haunted house to ‘‘scare away cancer.”
Madison Kirk, 12, who raffled off Hannah Montana tickets for her team last winter, raffled off tickets to the sold-out Jonas Brothers concert in August at Nissan Pavilion at the Relay. Her team, Baker’s Dozen, raised a little more than $2,600, with $1,600 coming from the two raffles.
Her sister Sydney’s team of Baker Middle School eighth-graders, Bulldogs Bite Cancer, raised more than $3,400, some of it coming from the sale of whipped cream pies to throw at willing participants at the Relay.
Although money is still coming in, the 11th annual Damascus Relay raised more than $230,000 as of Monday, Klahre said.
Money raised is donated to the American Cancer Society to support its mission of eliminating cancer as a major health issue.
Honorary chairman Ben Kitterman, 20, of Damascus, a survivor of childhood cancer, opened the Relay for Life by talking about what the event has meant to him and the number of his friends and his parents’ friend that have been touched by cancer, Klahre said.
The Charles Wesley Singers from Damascus United Methodist Church sang ‘‘On Eagle’s Wings.”
Cancer survivor Vanessa Leiby of Damascus read an original poem she wrote about her experience with breast cancer six years ago.
‘‘A loving spouse, a valued job, two little girls so meek. To this day I can recall that morning when I found upon my breast a lump so large my heart fell to the ground,” the poem reads.
The poem ended with a prayer that a cure would be found soon and the release of doves to start the first lap of the event, reserved for cancer survivors.
Damascus High School senior Nickolas Loulou, a cancer survivor, released the doves.
During the Relay for Life, at least one member of each of the 59 teams is required to walk the track at all times. The only pause in the walking came as darkness fell and the track was lined with luminaria candles in honor or in memory of someone who has battled cancer.
Dave Benway of Kensington spoke at the luminaria ceremony about being a cancer caregiver and a survivor, organizers said. Damascus High School sophomore Emily Buras and Clarksburg High School junior Carly Oeller, a cancer survivor, sang. Damascus High School senior Alex Mason played the saxophone.
Walking, bingo and movies got the participants through the night.
