With 60 days left before the Covington-Maple Valley-Black Diamond Relay for Life event, organizers were notified Kentwood High’s track couldn’t be the site for the event which is set for June 1-2.

Relay committee co-chairs Janet Swisher and Lacy Parker had to scramble to find an alternate venue.

“We start planning usually two to three months after the previous Relay,” Swisher said. “In September we had our contract signed with the school. It was initial panic (when the venue had to change) but it all works out.”

Indeed it did as they were able to move the event to Cedar Heights Middle School.

“Things have fallen into place pretty quickly and smoothly, really,” Parker said. “It’s just getting the word out and making sure everybody knows.”

A venue change is a big deal because the event was shifted to Kentwood a year ago after being at Tahoma Junior High for years. But the move to Kentwood seemed to have a significant impact — as did moving the event up on the schedule to early June while school was still in session — as the number of teams and participants doubled from 2011 to 2012.

Thus far, Parker said, there are 246 participants signed up which is about how many were committed this time last year.

So, a venue change can impact the goal to bring in as many teams and participants this year, or more.

“We have 43 teams registered right now and last year, when all was said and done, we had 46,” Parker said. “We’re happy with those results and we only have potential to grow from there.”

This year, Swisher said, they’ll take the feedback about the event from 2012 and apply it to the planning for the event. There will be some new logistical challenges being at Cedar Heights, but, they can manage that.

“Last year people told us they couldn’t hear,” Swisher said. “We’re going to set up the track differently. I think people are going to like it better.”

In addition to the logistics of the venue change, Swisher said, there will be a greater focus on the Heroes Lap which will recognize first responders. There is a new team this year which has a member who is a decorated Renton Police officer who is battling cancer.

Swisher noted that there is always room for more help.

“We definitely need more volunteers,” Swisher said. “We want to reach out to any of our community groups, Scouts, churches, any groups (to volunteer). We never have volunteers standing around.”

Parker added that even helping out for as little as 30 minutes would make a difference.

So far, Parker said, sponsor support has grown as well. They are thankful for the support they’ve received from EJ’s Custom Catering and Cedar River Grill, both of which are based in Maple Valley, as well as new sponsors such as Windermere Maple Valley.

“Having our real estate community involved is a real benefit for us because they tend to be competitive,” Swisher said. “Every dollar we don’t have to spend goes toward (American Cancer Society).”

It’s also important to Swisher and Parker to grow the event in many different ways.

“It’s not too late to sign up a team. It’s not too late to fundraise,” Swisher said. “We welcome everybody. And the big thing is welcoming survivors. If you’re a military member, come walk in our heroes lap, if you’re a first responder, come walk in our heroes lap. If you’re a survivor, come walk in our survivors lap, and you don’t have to fundraise if you’re a survivor.”

One recent development which could help this Relay grow, Parker said, is the news that Pat Flynn will attend this year. Flynn got involved with Relay in the second year in Tacoma, where it was founded decades ago.

“We’re very honored to have her and humbled at the same time,” Parker said.

For more information on the Black Diamond-Covington-Maple Valley Relay for Life go to www.relayforlife.org/covingtonwa.

Reach Assistant Editor Kris Hill at khill@maplevalleyreporter.com or 425-432-1209 ext. 5054.