Western wear, trading 2010 luau leis for cowboy hats and neckerchiefs, was the uniform Tuesday evening as the American Cancer Society Relay for Life of Cass County kicked off its $75,000 “Stampeding for a Cure” campaign over sloppy joes at Dowagiac Moose Lodge.

The overnight event, now in its third year at Dowagiac Union High School after a dozen years at Southwestern Michigan College and the Cass County Fairgrounds in Cassopolis, finished up in 2010 with $72,000, according to first-year Chair Diana Bower.

The 2011 Relay For Life of Cass County takes place July 16-17, at DUHS’s APEX (Athletic and Physical Education CompleX) from 10 a.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. Sunday.

Pam Hughes of ACS said the goal is to recruit 34 teams.

Southwestern Michigan College staff was first among 11 teams which registered online prior to the kickoff.

SMC’s Cathy Feirick chaired Relay in 2009 and 2010.

Hughes said Bark for Life, which attracted a hundred dogs, will be returning, along with Ladies Night Out Friday, March 11, 6-8:30 p.m., in the DUHS cafeteria.

Last year’s powerhouse, Midwest Messengers, captained by Katie Mack, raised $10,053.

“That’s awesome,” Hughes praised. “We’ll be talking to them at the first team captains meeting (Tuesday, March 8, 5:30, committee; and team captains, 7 p.m.) about how they did that and bring some of their fundraising skills to your teams.”

A couple new teams attended from Burling-Gillesby dental practice and First Christian Church, both in Dowagiac.

For every team from in town, such as Family Fare Spartan Stores, Wolverine Mutual, Sister Lakes Elementary School or Creative Foam, others came from farther away, such as Greater Niles Community Federal Credit Union, Pokagon United Methodist Church or Chain Lake Missionary Baptist Church in Calvin Township.

If you think indoors in the dead of winter robs a Relay event of one of its most moving sights, luminary bags ringing the track with flickers of hope, think again.

“Candles” with artificial flames were placed in cardboard “bags” on each table for each reason participants “relay” listed in a PowerPoint presentation, creating a similar effect around the room.