YELLOWKNIFE - "Cancer never sleeps, so neither will we."

It's the oft-repeated slogan for the Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life, but it's been popping up more and more - especially as people gather for the event's fourth year in Yellowknife tonight.

Team "Hair Because We Care" marches in the 2006 Relay for Life. The event kicks off tonight, where organizers hope to beat last year's total of $57,000. - NNSL file photo

Eighteen teams have been competing for months to raise as much money as possible for the event, which takes place at the William McDonald school track.

"Things are looking good," said Louise Riordan, the society's project co-ordinator in Yellowknife, in the days leading up to the event.

"There are teams that have raised just amazing amounts of money."

In the lead as of Wednesday is Yellowknife tax consultant (and News/North Tax Break columnist) Andy Wong, who has raised nearly $13,000 by himself, and has helped raise just less than $10,000 with the team 49 Avenue, Riordan said.

Also doing well is Team Burrill, which could break the $10,000 mark by the end of the week.

Riordan said this year's Relay for Life is on track to raise $70,000, far in excess of last year's $57,000, but still less than 2005's $75,000.

"It's fluctuated all over the place," Riordan said of the event's annual haul.

Relay for Life is an all-night walk, run, crawl or wheelchair roll around the track, as participants try to simulate the non-stop exhaustion and fatigue that comes with cancer treatment.

As in previous years, the event runs all night, brightened up by live entertainment, team and cancer survivor marches and the luminary display, set for 10 p.m.

Luminaries are candles sold on site to honour the memory of a person who either has been lost to cancer, or has battled the disease and survived.

"We'll have 1,000 luminaries marking the track," she said.

"I think it's my absolute favourite part of the ceremony. Even though it's bright here (at night), it's still very powerful."

The event will feature a well-rounded lineup of Yellowknife entertainment, including East Coast singer Jim Taylor, singer/songwriter Azure DeGrow, rock band 3-Across-Dee-Eye and the flamenco dancing of Cathleen Clarke.

The relay has also brought out a healthy spirit of competition between two law enforcement juggernauts in the North.

The RCMP and the Canadian Forces Joint Task Force North (JTFN) have each created a team this year, and have raised the stakes.

"I think a little friendly competition is always a good thing," said JTFN's relay co-ordinator Tina Schauerte. "You put some competition in and it's more push to raise more money."

Informally, both groups have decided the loser will have to do two things: publicly wash a portion of the others' vehicle fleet, and run the other organization's flag over their building.

"That's a major pride issue," said RCMP Const. Roxanne Dreilich.

"So send in a pledge, we want to win!"

However, there was some disagreement on how many vehicles would have to be washed.

"We're really hoping they don't choose the airplanes," Dreilich said with a laugh.

Both organizers were quick to point out the real winner of the competition, - cancer research - and detail the way the disease has affected their lives.

Dreilich said she lost her mother and a step-father to cancer within two years of each other. Schauerte, meanwhile, had a grandmother beat breast cancer at the age of 90.

"Cancer touches everyone's lives," Schauerte said. "It's something that we can all get behind."

Registration begins at William McDonald school at 4 p.m. Friday, and the event goes on right through the night.