Tonight will officially begin the 2010 Relay for Life fund-raising season as organizers hold its “kickoff” meeting.

Susan Byrd, Relay’s publicity chairwoman, said the meeting is to encourage new teams to participate and start the event’s planning process.

Byrd, a three-year team member and first year committee member, is a three-year cancer survivor. She was diagnosed with leukemia.

“I want the message of Relay to get out there to all survivors,” Byrd said. “This meeting is open to anyone who has an interest in having a team. We are asking for any business, and individuals who wish to have a team to attend this meeting. You don’t have to have a minimum amount of people to have a team, and it doesn’t have to be a business.

“We have had teams that were family members that came together to pay tribute to someone who lost their battle with cancer, so anyone can have a team and we encourage that.”

Last year’s event raised $107,500. This year’s goal is $117,000.

Tonight’s meeting is set for 6 p.m. at the Covington County Board of Education central office, on the bypass.