It took a while, but once North Kitsap residents officially got on board the Relay for Life bandwagon, they started kicking up dust immediately. They’ve been doing so for the past three years and will do so again this Friday and Saturday as the community gathers once again to show its support for cancer victims, their families and hope for a cure.

The Relay for Life leaves the starting blocks at the North Kitsap High School track at 6:30 p.m. Friday and individuals and teams don’t stop walking or running until 3 p.m. Saturday.

That’s nearly 21 hours of continuous fun, thoughtful vigils and above all a display that residents — both those who have been affected directly by cancer and those who have not — care about their neighbors.

The Relay, which started 18 years ago in Tacoma, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to further everything from cancer research and treatment to education.

More than 3,800 communities host Relay for Life events each year and the hope continues to spread.

Those who participate are rewarded with more than a T-shirt and sleep deprivation, they also receive the knowledge that they stepped up to help fight a disease that has taken so much from communities just like ours.

They’re going to beat cancer, a step at a time.