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It is Relay For Life’s 24th year in Chilton County, and mixing things up this year is an all-new Survivors Dinner, set to honor cancer survivors and their caregivers with a complimentary meal provided by Main Street Café.

The dinner is scheduled for 5 p.m. on April 27 and will officially kick off the survivors tributes at this year’s Relay For Life event.

“We really want to have a big turnout for our Survivor Dinner — It’s what Relay is all about: our survivors,” Jeannie Smith of the American Cancer Society said. “We want them to feel special and honored, and then we really want to encourage them to stay for the event.”

The Survivors Dinner is taking the place of previous years’ Survivors Breakfasts to allow for a more convenient mealtime.

“Main Street Café is sponsoring the all-inclusive dinner,” Smith said. “Survivors will get to choose between two meat choices, several vegetables, dessert.”

Dinner will be buffet style.

“I really think they are doing it up really awesome,” Smith said of the café. “They’re really excited to be on board and to be a part of the event.”

Because streets will be closing for the main event, survivors should park behind Peoples Southern Bank or behind Clanton City Hall, Smith said.

Relay For Life is looking for volunteer golf cart owners to shuttle dinner guests to the café.

“Survivors are allowed to bring, of course themselves, and one caregiver,” Smith said.

Relay For Life is accepting RSVPs until April 16.

Survivors can RSVP by emailing ChiltonCountySurvivorDinner@gmail.com, calling Patti Patterson or Linda Hand at (205) 919-6243 or (205) 389-5856 respectively, or by private messaging the Relay For Life of Chilton County Facebook page.

“Survivors will get their T-shirts at the dinner,” Smith said, explaining that sizes will be available for those who have already registered.

Extra T-shirts will be on hand for survivors registering at the dinner.

“After dinner, we will begin Relay with opening ceremonies, beginning with our Survivor Lap,” Smith said.

Survivors will trace Main Street to Corner Park stage, where they will introduce themselves and receive survivor medals.

The annual Survivor/Caregiver Balloon Release will follow the ceremony, courtesy of Pinedale Gardens.

Door prizes will be available to survivors throughout the evening.

For more information about Relay For Life, visit RelayForLife.org.