VIDALIA, La. &045; When the final figures were totaled Saturday morning, the Miss-Lou Relay for Life had exceeded its fund-raising goals for the year &045; and for the decade.

Teams participating in Relay, the American Cancer Society’s biggest annual, raised $190,900 locally this year, beating the event’s initial goal

of $175,000, according to Ann Rodgers, chairwoman of the Miss-Lou Relay for Life.

That means the Miss-Lou Relay has raised more than $1.1 million for cancer research and education and patient assistance in its 10-year run, above its decade goal of $1 million.

&uot;It’s awesome Š unbelievable Š way beyond anything I expected,&uot; Rodgers said Saturday, the day after the Miss-Lou Relay’s annual all-night celebration on the Vidalia riverfront.

Although final crowd estimates weren’t available as of Saturday, Rodgers said more people &045; cancer survivors, their supporters and members of 51 teams &045; attended the all-night event than last year.

The Miss-Lou event has the highest number of survivors of any Relay in Mississippi and the second largest amount of funds raised.