Every walker who participates in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life has a story to tell about a special person in his or her life. That’s why they are there. Because they care.

The ACS Penobscot Unit Relay for Life will take place 6 p.m. Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday at the Old Town High School track.

Last year’s event was in memory of former OTHS athletic director Bob Lahey. The participants, walking around the clock in teams of eight people or more, raised more than $28,000.

One of the special teams participating this year is a group of 18 sixth-graders from Orono Middle School, led by Lura Raymond.

The team is walking in memory of Joleen Raymond — Lura’s mother and the woman who taught many of them in second grade.

Lura’s mom died of breast cancer four years ago at the age of 40. In 1995 and 1996, Lura, her dad, John Raymond, and brother Tony walked as a family in Joleen’s honor. Then, last year, Lura decided to get a team of her own.

She and members of her class conducted fund-raisers and got pledges for the ACS and contributed not only their time to the walk, but raised $700 as well.

This year, Lura said, “We made about $100 from the bake sale, raised $63 just from a bottle drive and got a $25 donation from Pat’s Pizza” in addition to the pledges they are collecting. Of course, they’d all like to raise as much money as possible.

Lura said the team “has a lot of fun” and that, for the majority of them, “this is their second year and they’re really excited and can’t wait for it.”

And while the walk is a 24-hour event, this team will take a break, Lura said. “We’ll probably walk until midnight, and then the boys will go to a boy’s house and the girls will come to my house.” After their Relay for Life “sleepover,” Lura expects the walkers to be back on the track around 6 a.m. Saturday.

John Raymond said each team member “has scheduled times for walking, about a half-hour each, then they pass the baton to another person.”

He is understandably proud of his daughter’s commitment and organizational ability. “What is nice about it is that here you have a group of kids doing something positive,” he said.

He recognizes that Lura “has done real well since her mom died” and it is through projects such as this that she is able to come to terms with her loss. “It’s one of the projects she has done not only to help raise funds,” he said, “but I think it is self-gratifying for her to be able to do something” in memory of her mother.

He is pleased that so many of Lura’s classmates participate and that they now have this way to remember her. His late wife “was a very caring, very good teacher for them.”

The walk is still a family affair for the Raymonds, however, since John and Tony will be walking as members of the Northeast Cardiology team.

Anyone who would like to help Lura’s team exceed what it raised last year can send a donation to the attention of Mike Hart, ACS Penobscot Unit executive director, P.O. Box 1896, Bangor 04402-1896, and mark the donation for Lura Raymond’s team.

In Presque Isle, the Relay for Life walk also has its special teams.

Women’s Health Plus, which is a coalition of the Maine Breast and Cervical Health Program and HEALTH 1st, a division of Aroostook County Action Program, is entered with “Wendy’s Walkers.”

This team will walk in honor of breast cancer survivor Wendy Burns of Fort Fairfield.

Burns is a member of the Women’s Health Plus coalition. She worked as a peer educator and last year was co-captain of its Relay for Life team.

Four years ago, at the age of 37, Burns discovered a lump in her breast that eventually led to a mastectomy. Last fall a second lump appeared, and she underwent further tests and treatments. She is now recovering from a March bone-marrow transplant.

“Wendy’s Walkers” will join other walkers beginning at 6 p.m. Friday and continue passing the baton until noon Saturday. But before they get there, they will be busy in the kitchen.

Team captain Daphne Harris wants you to know that her team will conduct a bake sale during the relay and all proceeds will directly benefit Wendy Burns.

For Burns and those like her, Harris has challenged the other teams “to surpass the amount of money we raise for the American Cancer Society.”

For information or to make a donation to Relay for Life in Wendy’s name, call Harris at 800-432-7881 or 768-3056.

Capital campaign co-chairwoman Karna Olsson and co-chairman Ronald Lott have good reason to be happy today.

On behalf of the committee working to raise funds for building and renovations of The Animal Orphanage for Old Town & Orono, they thank all who responded so favorably to a recent fund-raising phonathon.

Olsson and Lott write that the work of volunteers calling from MBNA in Orono resulted in adding $5,000 to the campaign treasury.

Volunteers are working to raise $110,000 for the temporary care facility for stray pets that serves the Old Town-Orono area.

Helping find a cause and cure for cancer is also a consideration this month at all Dunkin’ Donuts outlets.

Each time a customer visits a Dunkin’ Donuts shop anywhere in New England during May and makes a $1 contribution to the Jimmy Fund, the customer receives a token for a free small cup of coffee which can be redeemed on Monday, June 1.

The money raised will fund the Rising Stars program. The Dunkin’ Donuts Rising Stars are a select group of young research physicians at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston involved in developing new strategies to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer. The fund helps provide them with the tools and resources to continue their work.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.