For the first time in a decade, the three cities of the Flathead Valley will collaborate for one Relay for Life event.

The event, scheduled at the Flathead County Fairgrounds at 6 p.m. on June 19, will involve participants from Whitefish, Columbia Falls and Kalispell in the fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

In previous years, separate relays were held in each city.

The three cities also are collaborating next month for the Hope Gala on Feb. 14. This black-tie affair at Brumar Estates in Bigfork that raises a significant amount of money for Relay for Life.

Bigfork has elected to hold its own Relay for Life event.

For Brittany Buckallew, one of the coordinators of the Hope Gala and the Relay for Life at the fairgrounds, the collaborative event was overdue.

“People have been clamoring for one big event, they have been asking for one,” she said. “Individually towns are so strong, but together we are even stronger.”

Last year, more than 600 people participated in Relay for Life in Flathead County and helped raise more than $70,000 for the American Cancer Society,

The society, founded in 1946, has invested more than $4 billion in cancer research and helped reduce cancer rates by 20 percent since 1991 — saving 1.3 million lives.

The Relay for Life, which runs through the night — “because cancer never sleeps,” Buckallew said — is a physical and emotional outlet for survivors and family members.

Some participants walked more than 20 miles last year.

Buckallew, coming up on her fifth year of participating in the relay, first joined a team with her employer, Glacier Bank. More recently, a more personal reason has kept her involved.

“I walked for a girlfriend who fought cancer twice,” she said. “She died in a car crash when she was just 20. I know she’d be walking, so I’m doing it for her.”

In organizing this year’s event, Brumar Estates and the Flathead County Fairgrounds have been wonderful to work with, Buckallew said.  

This year’s Relay for Life’s theme is “Wranglin’ Hope,” a cowboy theme complete with boots and lassos. While the Hope Gala is yet to happen, tickets are all but sold out to the kickoff event for the Relay for Life.

Buckallew said teams can begin to sign up for participation as soon as they want to. Interested teams should contact Stephanie Vrendenburg at 890-4994.

For more information on the American Cancer Society, visit www.Cancer.org. For more information on the Relay For Life of Flathead County, visit www.RelayForLife.org/FlatheadCountyMT.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.