THEBACHA/FORT SMITH - The symbolism could not have been more perfect.

As the Relay for Life fundraiser to battle cancer was about to start in Fort Smith on May 30, threatening black clouds rolled over the community.

Jane Peterson was one of the many participants who dressed in colourful costumes for this year's Relay for Life cancer fundraiser in Fort Smith. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

It looked like at any second the clouds would open up and rain would pour down on the relay, held on a small golf course in the RCMP compound.

However, aside from a few minutes of light rain, the clouds floated by, leaving clear skies in their wake.

That was much like one of the messages of Relay for Life - no matter how bleak it is for a person to be diagnosed with cancer, there is still hope of brighter days ahead.

Participants in the relay - which ran from 7 p.m. on May 30 to 7 a.m. the following morning - did their part for those brighter days by raising nearly $153,000 for cancer research and support services.

"Our original goal that was set for us was $110,000," said Andrea Steed, chairperson of the Fort Smith Relay for Life Committee, adding the target was set by the Canadian Cancer Society based on the size of the community and the estimated number of participants.

Steed was extremely pleased by the amount raised.

"I was just shocked and amazed to be honest," she said, adding the teams worked extremely hard and were very creative in their fundraising efforts.

In all, 213 people participated in the relay as part of 21 teams.

This was the third year Fort Smith held the relay - the community raised about $75,000 in 2006 and $113,000 in 2007. Last year, the South Slave relay was held in Hay River, where $204,000 was raised.

The two communities plan to host the event on alternating years.

Steed said, in the four years the relay has been held in the South Slave, more than a half-million dollars has been collected.

"I think cancer hits hard for everyone, but I think it hits harder in smaller communities," she said, adding everyone knows everyone else in small towns.

Bill Tordiff, who has been battling cancer for almost eight years, described this year's Relay for Life as a wonderful event.

"The level of support is phenomenal," he said.

Tordiff said there is so much support because every family is affected by cancer.

Another cancer survivor, Don Jaque, was equally impressed with the support.

"This is amazing," he said. "Fort Smith is an amazing place."

About 15 people also travelled from Hay River to participate in this year's relay.

Shari Burnstad, chair of last year's event in Hay River, hopes more people from her community will participate when the event is in Fort Smith and vice versa, adding the money raised all goes to the same place.

Burnstad said it's a good idea for the two communities to host the relay on alternating years, explaining it's a big event for one community to hold every year.

"It's kind of exhausting and you can only take so much money out of a community," she said.

Crystal Benwell, who was attending her first Relay for Life, found it to be a fun event and was impressed with the turnout.

"If people knew how much fun it was here, a lot more people would show up," said Benwell, who has lost a number of family members to cancer.

Many participants in the relay dressed in colourful costumes and each team started the relay by singing their own theme song.

While this year's relay went off without any problem with the weather, organizers were prepared for the worst.

Steed said, if there had been thunder and lightning, the event would have been moved into Centennial Arena for safety.

"We had the key," she said.

After the threatening weather passed over, Steed said, "It was beautiful and clear, but it was darned cold."

Overnight, there was frost on the small stage set up for the event and people could see their breath.

Last year, 451 Relay for Life events were held across Canada and more than $50 million was raised for the Canadian Cancer Society.