STONINGTON — Saturday’s 18th annual Relay for Life was an emotional but hopeful event for Pawcatuck residents Scott Rathbun, Ken Perdeen, and Stan Craig, who all wore matching buttons on their shirts, bearing a photo of recently deceased Chick Gavitt, owner of the Ichiban Karate and Kickboxing Studio in Wakefield.

“We’ve been instructors at Ichiban since 1991 and Chick was like a brother to us. He’s family,” Rathbun said. “We want to let people who have cancer know that they aren’t alone. We’re here to support them.”

Charles Henry “Chick” Gavitt Jr. of West Kingston was 48 when he died on May 3. He had received a diagnosis of brain cancer in 2013.

The three instructors were just three of more than 380 participating in the 12-hour Relay for Life of Greater Westerly and walking around the Stonington High School track to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

By midafternoon, donation totals were close to $80,000 as members of the 55 participating teams walked around the track. Instead of being an overnight event as in years past, this year’s relay went from noon to midnight, offering attendees more opportunity to be involved and a part of the festivities.

Tents were set up all along the outside of the track as teams set up sites to picnic and spend time together throughout the day. A larger tented area was reserved as a VIP area offering cancer survivors and caregivers an Ocean House catered lunch, massages, and other means of support. Another booth offered a place for people to document their stories and why they are a part of the Relay for Life.

Ainslie Seeber, in charge of media, said she was hopeful that attendance would pick up later on in the event and that the Relay would raise at least another $10,000 before the end of the night. This was her first time participating in a Relay for Life event, but she said it definitely won’t be her last.

“I have three friends who are close to the age of 30, who all have breast cancer and I wanted to do something that would make a difference and support them,” she said. “It’s all around us, even when you’re my age. It’s quite an awakening because I think we all think of cancer as being something that doesn’t happen until you’re much older.”

Cara McLaughlin, of Richmond, was at the event with her mother, Susan McLaughlin, who has been free of breast cancer for 11 years.

“I’m here to support my mom and to show my appreciation that she’s still with us and here today to be apart of this,” she said. “It’s her birthday today, too, which makes it an even better celebration of her life.”

Westerly resident and 51-year cancer survivor Virgina Staubley was given the honor of lighting the torch during the opening ceremonies, signifying the start of the event. She has been involved in the event every year, and this year, she had 14 family members who came to support the Relay alongside her.

“I want to be able to show people that you can survive cancer,” she said. “I hope to God and pray that no one ever has to fight the fight, but if they do, I want them to know they can keep on fighting. Life’s too short to do anything but fight.”