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Cancer Freeze 2021 is still going to happen, despite worries of COVID-19.

Founder Caleb Davidson said it has been an interesting time during the pandemic to get ready for the event this year, but it is all worth it.

“We are obviously going to do everything that we can to accommodate everybody,” Davidson said. “We are praying for really good weather, so we can move everything outside. We are going to have individually wrapped crackers for the chili and individually wrapped syrup and butter for the pancakes. Everybody around the food will have masks and gloves on. Like I said, everything that we can do to make it safe, we are going to do it.”

Last year, Cancer Freeze was able to squeeze in before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and Davidson said he is very thankful they are able to put on the event this year, as well.

“We honestly couldn’t do this without the support of the community and the support of the city,” Davidson said. “We talked with the mayor and council months ago, just needing to know where we were and I told them that until we are told otherwise, we were going to plan for it as normally as possible.”

Looking towards the weekend, Davidson said he excited for an attempt at normalcy.

“We certainly don’t take COVID lightly,” Davidson said. “We know people who have been in the hospital because of it and known people that have passed away. So, I don’t want anybody to think that we don’t really care. I certainly hope nobody would say that, because of what we have done and our track record in the past about who we have tried to help what we have tried to do. I do understand that we are going to face some criticism, but the flip side of that coin is that we were going to face criticism one way or the other. If we do it we are going to get criticized for doing it and if we don’t do it then we are going to get criticized for not doing it.”

Through lengthy prayer sessions and conversations, Davidson knew the event had to go on.

“We have had board meetings and phone calls about what we need to do because we have never been here before,” Davidson said. “With the people we help, I don’t want to put on an event where people feel obligated to be there. I want them to be there because they want to be there. So, it’s a situation that I do not take lightly, because these are huge decisions that we have to make and I don’t want anybody to think that we are not being sympathetic. I can assure you that this is something that we are taking seriously. We are going to do everything we can to make an attempt to have a normal event.”

Cancer Freeze 2021 starts off Saturday at 7 a.m., at the Rodney J. Evans Building with Perk’s Pancakes.

For a full schedule, visit the Cancer Freeze website at cancerfreeze.org.