The Otoe County Relay for Life held its annual kickoff meeting last Thursday announcing a new location, new date and a theme striving for more birthdays.
   The Otoe County Agriculture Society agreed to host the relay at the fairgrounds in Syracuse June 5-6 and Syracuse city officials have offered use of South Park.
   The event has traditionally been held on Friday nights, but will be moved to Saturday this year.
Relay Chair Patty Madsen said the date change is intended to increase participation.
   She said some people are not able to take time off of work on Fridays to prepare for the relay and more people will be able to spend the night to break camp on a Sunday morning.
   Madsen said she hopes the mid-county location will encourage new people to get involved.  “We need a shot in the arm,” she said.
   Lori Carper of Syracuse, the relay’s accounting chair, said the fairgrounds also provide a place to hold the annual survivors dinner and will accommodate more camping and event activities.
   The relay, which has raised $1.2 million over 12 years, was held at the Nebraska City High School track for most of its duration. Rainfall last year forced a cancellation.
   Madsen said she was surprised at the $83,000 raised despite the economy and disappointing weather.
   The 2010 relay theme calls for less cancer and more birthdays. The American Cancer Society has launched the website morebirthdays.com to encourage people to strive for more birthdays by staying well, fighting back and finding a cure for cancer.