By Karen Forman

More than 1,000 Northport residents and the community joined together to show their support for the fight against cancer this Saturday, marking a decade of unwavering commitment to the cause.

Northport High School held its 10th annual Relay for Life event June 2, which raised about $180,000. This brought the  community’s cumulative total to $2 million in donations over 10 years to the American Cancer Society, a national nonprofit health organization which uses the funds for cancer research, patient care services, prevention and early detection programs.

Teams walked around the high school’s track for 12 hours starting at 6 p.m. Saturday. Each team had at least one member walking throughout the night, which is why the event is called a relay. People walked overnight to symbolize that cancer never sleeps.

Relay for Life is held in 30 countries and 3,000 towns across the United States, making it the the largest fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, according to the organization’s website.