Mower County Relay for Life is soaring into a new year.

As Relay for Life volunteers are getting ready to send out sponsorship notices next month for 2016, they got some positive news from Ohio.

One of the balloons released at the Relay for Life event at the Mower County Fairgrounds on July 25th was recently found Nov. 14 in a tree in Deer Creek Reservoir Forest in Alliance, Ohio.

“It’s touching,” Relay for Life co-chair Angie Hughson said. “It’s fun to see that somebody else is actually taking the time to let us know that they found it.”

According to Google Maps, Deer Creek Reservoir is about 772 miles from the fairgrounds, or a roughly 11 hour and 40 minute drive on eastbound Interstate 90 and eastbound Interstate 80. Deer Creek is about 56 miles southeast of Cleveland.

Dozens of balloons are released during every annual Mower County Relay for Life walk and ceremony by cancer survivors and family members, and the balloons often include messages and contact information of Relay volunteers. Hughson said the messages written on the balloons are often very meaningful to the survivors and family members. However, Hughson didn’t know who released the balloon found in Ohio.

Last year, a balloon was found 900 miles away in Pennsylvania, and another was found in Dodgeville, Wisconsin. In past years, balloons have been found in Pittsburgh and as far away as Canada near Niagara Falls.

Even with the news of the new balloon, volunteers are turning their focus to raising money for the 2016 Relay for Life event planned for July 23 at the fairgrounds.

Hughson, Tonya Novak and Rod Ryks took over as co-chairs of the Mower County Relay for Life committee shortly after this year’s event, which raised about $70,000, according to Hughson.

Sponsorship notices should be sent out to businesses in late December, and the committee is calling for anyone interested in starting a team, holding a fundraiser or joining the committee.

“We’re always in need and looking for more committee members,” she said.

Hughson said it’s important for people to remember that fundraising can continue year-round for Relay for Life.

For more information on how to get involved with Relay for Life, contact Hughson or Novak at jamhugh@msn.com or novak.tonya@mayo.edu.