Welcome to Cumberland County's Largest Slumber Party, the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life of South Portland, Maine! Friday & Saturday, June 11th and 12th, 2010 6:00pm to 7:00am at the South Portland High School
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The Luminaria Ceremony

Some things in life are hard to adequately describe and give justice to, as they are too powerful, important, and meaningful.  The luminaria ceremony is one such thing.  If you've experienced it, you know.  If you haven't, we strongly encourage you to come take part in this and see firsthand what it's all about.

Luminaria are tea lights placed around the inside of the track in special Relay For Life bags.  The names of our cancer survivors, as well as those that we have lost to cancer, are written on each bag.  Many bags are decorated with drawings, pictures, or many different and creative things.

Shortly before 9:00 on the Friday night of Relay, volunteers go around the track and light each tea light inside each luminaria bag.  Around 9:00, when everyone is done and all of the bags are lit, all of the lights around the track are shut off and we begin a quiet time of remembrance.  To say that it's quite a sight to see so many bags lit around the track, knowing what each bag represents, is quite an understatement.  This is a very emotional time for all, both happy, for those who are winning the battle, and sad, for those we have lost.

While in the past, we have had a screen set up on the bleachers, with each name of each luminaria appearing on the screen, while music plays in the background, we're taking a different approach beginning with the 2010 Relay.  We're asking a representative from each team to come to a meeting place right before the ceremony, and after the lights have gone out, each person will read their team's luminaria aloud for everyone to hear.  We feel that will make the luminaria ceremony even more special and powerful for everyone in attendance.

Some people choose to sit with their luminaria bags in the lanes closest to the infield.  Please be respectful of them and walk on the outer lanes of the track during this time, and please remember to keep talking very low and to a minimum so that all of the names being read can be heard.