BEALLSVILLE — The annual Rally for Life culminated Monday at Beallsville High School and again broke its record for funds raised to help members of the local community battling cancer.

Kayle Moore, lead teacher at Beallsville High School, spearheads the rallies. He said the final count came to $66,240.50.

“Every year it’s just grown. We were able to accomplish so much every year. This year we broke the record,” she said. “This year is actually the 15-year anniversary for Rally for Life, and I help on the school’s end. We have a student rally committee, primarily of upperclassmen and we meet throughout the year.”

She said many of the activities are student-planned and student-led.

“The students actually design the T-shirts,” he said. “The kids also help in planning our annual school event, and so Rally for Life is much bigger than just more than what we do here at the school. They do tons of things all throughout the year to raise this money, but here at the school we just have an annual rally day.”

There were numerous day-long events.

“We set the rooms up like stores,” she said. “We had a petting zoo. The Swiss Hills kids came over and we had a hair shop and a nails shop.”

Moore said the agricultural students assisted with the petting zoo. Other attractions included a coffee shop, a bluegrass band and a concession stand.

“In the morning the kids are able to go around and spend money at each of the different stores,” she said. “In the afternoon, we had a candlelight survivor walk in the gym, and kids can purchase candles in memory of or in honor of someone that they lost to cancer, and we invite survivors to come and join us the day if they’re able to.”

Events continue with a walk around the building in honor of those lost to cancer.

“The actual day, that’s our big event, but all year long the classes do different events in their classrooms or put on different activities to raise money for each class,” Moore said. “The kindergarten class, they sell popsicles outside at recess. They raised $252.”

She said the first-graders raised $880 with a walkathon. The second-graders raised $1,210 with a readathon. Third-graders sold bracelets and held raffles, raising $730. Fourth through sixth grades combined to raise more than $700. Seventh-graders raised $1,171. And the eighth-graders raised $465.

The student-operated coffee and concession stand was open on Fridays and raised $3,375. The preschoolers raised $2,411 with raffles, and the T-shirt sales raised $4,000.

One of the key moments is when the students present their donation checks.

“Throughout the year, we get generous donations from individuals and businesses. We do various different auctions,” she said. “We do tons of different raffles, put on different dinners on weekends, nights. The Monroe Theater hosted the Hee Haw show for us this year.”

Moore noted the importance of the fundraisers to residents impacted by cancer.

“We’re totally a giving community here, and we’ve all been touched, or lives have been touched by someone we know, whether it’s an immediate family member or someone that we know, even teachers in our own building.”

“All of the money that we raise — 100 percent of it goes back to local Monroe County residents. So all of our money that is raised goes back to people that live in Monroe County that are a cancer patient or survivor or currently battling. On reveal day, people were actually able to come in and receive their checks for this year.”

They have continued to raise funds and exceed themselves during hard times of inflation.

“I just think the word is getting out more, the more publicity that we can get and the more people that learn about it,” she said. “I was literally at Sam’s Club, shopping for hot dogs. Not very often you see someone with 400 hot dogs. … I was stopped by someone and they just gave me money because I explained what I was doing and what the cause was.”

She said the public is able to submit the names of people battling cancer in the area, and the Rally for Life board decides who will be awarded.

Kate Steed, president of Rally for Life, said they were able to provide 29 patients $2,100 each. She said in the 15 years since the rallies began, they have helped more than 500 families in Monroe County.

“I’ve lost my mom. My dad had cancer. I’ve lost friends, family members, school classmates. It really touches home for me,” she said. “So much cancer here in the valley and in Monroe County. Last year we helped 37 families.”

Steed reflected on the work and dedication that makes the fundraiser possible.

“It takes 365 days to put something like this on,” she said. “It just takes all year long to do little things. Little things add up fast. We added up to $66,000.”

Steed added that she reached out to the surrounding communities for help and donations.

“It’s a very loving, caring community that we live in,” she said, adding food was donated by the Mr. Bee potato chip factory in Parkersburg, West Virginia. “That shows how far it goes out.”

Steed added that plans are already being laid for the 2024 Rally for Life, and she is expecting a donation from the Beallsville Sportsmans Club to kick off the next round of fundraising.

People wishing to learn more, volunteer or donate can join the Beallsville Rally for Life Facebook page or call the school at 740-926-1302 and ask for Moore.