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THEBACHA/FORT SMITH
Like many other participants and organizers, Claudette James, the volunteer co-chair of the Relay for Life in Fort Smith, has personal reasons for being involved in the fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Claudette James is co-chair of this coming weekend's Relay for Life in Fort Smith. The event is a fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society. - Paul Bickford/NNSL photo

"I think, universally, cancer affects everybody," she said. "It's pretty hard to find somebody that cancer doesn't affect."

In 2007 when Relay for Life was first held in Fort Smith, the personal reasons that got her involved were one of her aunts and her husband's grandmother were diagnosed with cancer, and both have since died.

"But this year in particular, I'm relaying for my uncle," James said, adding her uncle was recently diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 62.

This is the fifth year Relay for Life will be held in Fort Smith. It is now held every second year in the community in a South Slave rotation with Hay River.

The 12-hour overnight event is set to begin on June 15 at Queen Elizabeth Territorial Park.

James has been involved in the Relay for Life ever since the fundraiser has been held in Fort Smith. In the first two years, she was a participant and this is the third year she has been an organizer.

This year, she has stepped up her involvement by becoming the volunteer co-chair for the event. Plus, she is continuing to do registration and accounting, which she has done for all of the relays in Fort Smith.

"Basically as the co-chair, the primary job is being the liaison with the Canadian Cancer Society and a lot of it is paperwork-driven," she said. "That's the glory of being the co-chair; you get to do the paperwork."

James said the Canadian Cancer Society wants to keep track of many things – hours put in by the volunteer committee, fundraising compared to previous years, and the number of participants.

The registration and accounting side of things involves such things as keeping track of corporate donations and any in-kind gifts the event receives.

In its first four appearances in Fort Smith, Relay for Life has raised more than $500,000, including $153,000 two years ago.

That $153,000 placed Fort Smith second among Canadian communities for the amount raised per capita.

The Canadian Cancer Society has set this year's fundraising goal at $112,000 for Fort Smith, and is aiming for 21 teams and 210 participants.

"The last count, we're at $45,000," James said on June 3. "So we're doing fairly well in that respect. We're only at 13 teams, though ... two weeks before the relay. It's a little lower, but two years ago we had 17 teams."

She is hoping a couple of more teams may join the relay, adding they can do so right up to the day of the event.

"I think there will be more teams that will jump in," she said.

As for this year's target of $112,000, James doesn't overly focus on that number, adding money is tight for everyone.

"It's just about raising as much money without being obnoxious," she said with a laugh. "I would never be disappointed if we didn't reach the goal, because any money is more money than (the society) had before."

James, who is originally from Edmonton, has lived in Fort Smith since 1999.

In her time in the community, she has often been a treasurer for various community organizations because she has a background in finance. The 46-year-old is manager of finance and administration for the South Slave region with both the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Currently, she is also treasurer for figure skating, women's hockey and the track society.

James credits the example set by her parents for her volunteer activities in the community, noting, "I guess it was just how I was raised."

Now, she is trying to set that good example for her two children.

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