Cancer survivors always get the honors of the first lap around the West Seattle Stadium track for Relay for Life of West Seattle – which started just after 6 tonight and continues till about noon tomorrow. Teams in the relay event are raising tens of thousands of dollars to fight cancer, and they welcome visitors cheering them on, so you are welcome to drop by the stadium any time as the event continues – particularly tonight at 10, when luminarias will be lit in memory of those lost to cancer – a moving ceremony that is a highlight of Relay for Life. Just before the opening lap, those on hand heard from King County Council chair Dow Constantine, who shared his reason for supporting the event:

You may have noticed, our headline mentioned TWO West Seattle “events to fight cancer.” Here’s the other one, as explained by Sharon:

Just wanted to let you know that from 8 until close tonight (update: and all weekend long) Chelan Cafe is holding a fund raiser for our Breast Cancer 3 Day Team, The Warming Hut Hotties. They will sell hot dogs and Jello shots, with all proceeds being donated to our team’s fund raising goal. Each walker in the Breast Cancer 3-Day has made a fundraising commitment of at least $2300 and our team’s total goal is $100,000.

The net proceeds raised by The 3 Day benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure and The National Philanthropic Trust’s Breast Cancer Fund.

Further information can be obtained at: www.the3day.org

The Seattle 3-Day is coming up in September; while its route traveled along the West Seattle waterfront two years ago, it will skip the peninsula again this year. Still, we know of more than a few West Seattle participants, so it’s a “local” story just the same. Chelan Cafe, by the way, is right under The Bridge, just north of North Delridge.