By By Robbie Byrd, News Editor
The Southern Computer Megabytes Relay for Life team and the Atmore Saddle Club will host the Alabama Junior Rodeo this Saturday at the Saddle Club beginning at 10 a.m.
The event, which is one of many stops for the Alabama Junior Rodeo Association, will feature much local talent, including the top three in current AJRA standings, all from Atmore.
Proceeds from the Rodeo will go to the Southern Computer Megabytes Relay for Life team. Donations will be accepted at the door.
Scotty Flowers with the Atmore Saddle Club said he estimates upwards of 120 participants at this event.
The rodeo will feature numerous events, including calf roping, breakaway roping, chute dogging, barrel racing, junior bull riding, pole bending, team roping and even goat tying.
Flowers said that there is a lot more to the rodeo than just bull riding.
Although he admits most people come to see those exciting 8 seconds.
The event is one of many stops the AJRA makes all over the state before finals later this year.
The Relay for Life will donate the money raised to the Relay for Life, a program of the American Cancer Society, committed to fighting cancer through education, research, advocacy and service in the fight against cancer.
This years goal for Relay is $140,000.
So far, 15 teams have committed to the 2002 Relay for Life program, including: Poarch Creek Indians, Alabama Power, Swift Supply, Pepsi of Atmore, Southern Computer, James Wilson Christian Bookstore, First National Bank, Atmore Community Hospital, Atmore Nursing Care Center, David's Catfish, Escambia County High School, the Boatwright family, Frontier Communications, Tracy Miller and family, Alto and The Atmore Advance. Other teams are expected to announce their participation soon.
Judy Pylate, chairman of the Atmore Relay for life said while Relay is fun for many, it must also be taken very seriously.
"Today more than 1,500 people in the US will die of cancer and 3,300 will be told they have this disease," Pylate said. "One in three women will have cancer, as well as one in two men. That's reason enough for me to do this."
This years theme is United for a Cure. The Advance will continue to list upcoming events as soon as they are announced.