NATCHEZ — Miss-Lou Relay for Life took in approximately $22,000 at Friday night’s event, putting the annual fundraiser currently at $151,000 and over last year’s total.

Relay for Life accounting chair Janis Holder said the annual American Cancer Society fundraising event raised $147,000 last year, meaning this year’s event raised more, even with a few teams still expected to turn in money.

Last year’s fundraiser won Miss-Lou Relay for Life a national award, and the event has historically been in the top 10 events in the country. Holder said she expects this year’s event will put the Miss-Lou fundraiser in the top five.

Even with a last-minute location change and scrambling to deal with rainy weather in the days leading up to the event, Holder said the event went very well.

“We are ecstatic about this year,” she said. “The City of Vidalia went above and beyond to get us set up in the parking lot (of the recreational complex) because the ground was wet. They filled sandbags to hold the tents down. … The wind died down Friday, and everything was great.”

Since 1995, Miss-Lou Relay for Life has been hosting its annual fundraiser and has raised well over $3 million for cancer research.

This year, nearly 30 teams participated in the event. Participants still have until Aug. 31 to donate before this year’s fundraising comes to a close.

Relay for Life donations can be sent to the American Cancer Society at P.O. Box 1027, Natchez, MS, 39121.

This year’s Relay for Life awards were:

Best Banner

–First — Delta Bank

-Second — Riverland Medical/CLTCC

-Third — Greater Mt. Carmel Church

Best Baton

–First —Riverland Medica/CLTCC

–Second — NNTF

–Third — Natchez Walmart

Best T-shirt

–First — Team F.R.O.G.

–Second — Monica’s Hope

–Third — Forest Aid Baptist Church

Best Tent Site

–First —NNTF

–Second — Concordia Parish Sheriff’s Office

–Third — Team Kia/Adams County Correctional Center

Most Spirit

–First —Adams County Sheriff’s Office

–Second — Vidalia Upper Achievement

–Third — Zeta Phi Beta Sigma

Best Luminaria Bag

–First —Adams County Sheriff’s Office

–Second — Celebrate Recovery

–Third — Zeta Phi Beta Sigma

Most Money Raised

–First — The Markets

–Second — Vidalia Walmart

–Third — Concordia Bank