By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorThis year’s Relay For Life of Warren County has a new date and a new time.The annual American Cancer Society fundraiser will be held from 1 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, at Black Hawk Middle School in Warrenton.In the past Relay For Life was held the first weekend in June. Organizers hope the date change from the summer will boost attendance and participation.“We really want to get the youth involved, the schools, the community,” said Carie Biggs. “During the summer, everybody is on vacation. Kids are out of school. Everything is happening.“We are excited about the new date.”A kickoff meeting was held Monday to announce this year’s goals and begin preparations for the event.Participants will take part in the largest fundraiser walk in the nation around the school’s track. A variety of activities are held throughout the event to bring awareness to the disease.The theme is “Totally Awesome ’80s Relay.”Organizers hope to raise $65,000 at this year’s event. In 2014, $60,000 was collected.So far, $4,345 has been raised, or 6 percent of the goal.“That’s not too bad for just being March and we have until September,” said Kanna Rook, American Cancer Society staff partner.In the past 17 years, Relay For Life of Warren County has topped the $1 million mark.A goal for 25 teams, 250 participants and 101 survivors has been set for this year’s event. Last year, 25 teams and 98 survivors participated.Eight teams and 34 participants have registered so far. In addition, organizers want to raise $8,000 in sponsorships, a slight increase from last year when $7,800 was brought in.Individuals or teams can register at www.relayforlife.org/warrencomo.“We want to hit goal,” Biggs said. “I would like to see more businesses. With the time change, we hope we have a lot more people.”At Monday’s kickoff meeting, cancer survivor Stacey Saak shared her story. She was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma, or kidney cancer, in 2001 when she was 31. She was later diagnosed with brain cancer.Following treatment for both, Saak has been cancer free since 2004. She has been grateful for the support she has received and noted that the American Cancer Society referred her to a cancer support group organized by Al and Jean Briggs that meets monthly in Warrenton“They have been such a great inspiration to me,” she said.The next Relay For Life committee meeting will be held Monday, May 11, at 5:30 p.m. at Imo’s Pizza in Warrenton.For more information, contact Rook at kanna.rook@cancer.org or 636-866-4884.New date, new time awaits Relay For Life