By JESSICA SIEFF
Niles Daily Star

Members of the “The Defeeters” of the Niles-Buchanan Relay for Life are hoping to raise money for the cause as they announced registration is being taken now for teams interested in taking part in Trivia Night.

“There is limited space,” team member Andrea Lemanski said. “So it’s a first-come first-serve basis.”

The event isn’t being held until Friday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m., but Lemanski said turnout was so good for the team’s first such event last year that they’re hoping to see an increase in team participation.

“It was fantastic last year,” she said. “It went over really, really well and it’s a lot of fun.”
The official kick-off for Relay for Life took place last month, to an unfortunate dip in the number of teams signing up.

Lemanski said just 37 teams signed up to take part in the event this year, raising money for cancer research and taking part in a 24-hour relay. That’s down from 52 teams last year.
Lemanski said people are still encouraged to build a team and join.

“It’s hard to say this year if the economy is in a better state or a worst state,” she said. And she points out that in some cases smaller teams have merged to create larger ones, so the organization “might not have necessarily lost people” but “the number of teams are down.”
“We really, really would love to have some more teams,” she said.

Last year the Trivia Night event accommodated 10 teams of 10 people and this year Lemanski said with the location being at The Bell Building on North Third Street, her team is hoping for up to 20 teams.

“I think we raised about $3,000,” last year, Lemanski said.

Fundraising is an important part of Relay For Life events held across the country putting those dollars back into research and other avenues in the fight against cancer.

“Obviously, I hate to say money is the most important thing,” Lemanski said. “But it really can do so much for research and for advocacy groups…”

This year’s Relay for Life theme is “a world with less cancer is a world with more birthdays.”
“Happy Birthday to us is our victory song,” Lemanski said.

And for one team on Trivia Night, it’s going to feel like a birthday when the winning team gets the $200 gift.

The event costs $100 per team of up to 10 players, a cash bar will be available, silent auctions and a 50/50 raffle will also be held. Lemanski said teams can bring their own tailgate food.
An announcer will read off general knowledge trivia questions to the participating teams on a variety of subjects and the winning team will leave with a cash prize.

To register or for more information, contact Andrea Lemanski at (574) 309-3793, andrea.yourrealtor@gmail.com or Diane Lemanski at 684-8581, diane.lemanski@hotmail.com.