Strong crowds came out for the Knoxville Cancer Relay kickoff party on Thursday night in Knoxville.

This event which was held at Randy Wilson Track was a way to kick off one of the largest cancer fundraisers in the state. The community came out to send off those who are running the five, three, or one mile loops in town. Those runners will leave every hour on the hour until 5:00 pm tonight. The group who does the statewide run took off yesterday for their run across Iowa and they will be back in town this evening, and will deliver the game ball to the Knoxville home football game tonight. There are also honor mile signs around town that represent someone whose life has been affected by cancer. Will Buttell with the Knoxville Cancer Relay says he gets motivation seeing new names on the signs every year.

“It means a lot. Seeing all the names on the signs. Every year there is a new one. It kinda tugs at your heart. It gives us runners motivation to keep doing it and that’s why we’re doing it. It makes the miles easier.”

The Knoxville Cancer Relay has raised over $250,000 over the last ten years for the American Cancer Society.