Drug-Free Relay nets $10,200

A poor economy is not preventing people in Union County from stepping up to promote drug- and alcohol-free lifestyles.

Leaders of the Drug-Free Relay have announced that this year’s relay raised a net of $10,200, the highest in the event’s history.

“I think it is phenomenal that we had a record-breaking year in the middle of a recession,’’ said Jan Harris, one of the Drug-Free Relay’s organizers.

One factor that helped this year’s funding picture was support from the Oregon Department of Transportation, Harris said. ODOT covered the cost of bringing in this year’s Drug-Free Relay speaker, Syd Muzzy of Vancouver, Wash., a traffic safety expert. Muzzy spoke at schools in Union County on behalf of the Drug-Free Relay in mid September.

The Drug-Free Relay was conducted Sept. 26 at La Grande High School’s track. A total of 20 teams, each with about 10 members, participated in the relay, a 12-hour event. Participants ran or walked a total of 600 miles.

Money raised at the relay is used to promote drug- and alcohol-free lifestyles in the community. The relay has now raised more than $70,000 for the community since it started.

Funds from the relay are distributed to groups and individuals via grants.

Applications for grants from the Drug-Free Relay are available at www.drugfreerelay.org and at the La Grande High School Career Center. Applications must be sent in by Feb. 15. Grants will be awarded in late February. For additional information call Ryan, 541-963-7931 or Don at 541-963-6085.