Hilmar may be a small town, but through an enormous community wide effort, the town raised funds worth six figures for cancer research: $130,361.11 to be exact.
436 participants composed 31 teams for the annual Relay for Life event where locals spent 24 hours walking for the American Cancer Society. The three individual participants who raised the most were Shirley Coelho at $9,440, Linda Cox at $4,000 and Melissa Ahlem at $3,295. Top teams included Bosom Buddies, which raised $26,133.01; Hilmar Cheese Company, at $21,569.37; and Whatever It Takes to Find a Cure, at $12,420.
This was only Hilmar's third year in hosting its own Relay for Life event. In its inaugural year, the Hilmar event won four awards and received special recognition from the American Cancer Society California Division for its record-breaking fundraising.
