With crisis comes clarity, clarity on what&8217;s important in life. Last fall&8217;s Hurricane Katrina stripped away many of the differences for millions of residents.

Suddenly in the wake of the storm, differences in color, region or economics didn&8217;t matter. Everyone was a hurricane survivor, and everyone depended upon one another.

Friday night and Saturday morning, survivors of a different kind came together along with a few thousand of their closest friends and neighbors.

Their purpose was to raise money for cancer research through the annual Miss-Lou Relay for Life.

Through the years, the Relay has grown into more than just another fundraiser. It is now a night of fun celebration with a serious purpose.

From the inspiring survivor&8217;s lap to the moving luminary service and all of the wackiness that follows, the Relay for Life is one of those rare events when the absolute best of our community shines brightly.

This year, when the sun came up on the all-night affair, nearly $190,000 had been raised to donate to cancer research. That&8217;s an amazing amount from a community our size. And it&8217;s a testament to all the hard work of countless volunteers who tirelessly work to make the Relay happen each year.

Our hats off to each of those volunteers, participants, donors and, most important, the survivors of cancer.

One day, when cancer is eradicated, we hope the Relay no longer needs to be a fundraising event. But until that time, we&8217;re thrilled by the great success of the wonderful people of our community.