After being told by the Wake County Public School System they would no longer be allowed to use grills and display candle-lit luminaria, organizers of the event went in search of a new home.

They found one at Five County Stadium.

Working with Carolina Mudcats officials, Relay For Life co-chairman Dianna Scoggins reached an agreement to hold the event at the stadium.

Moving the event will create a second major change. Because of the Mudcats home schedule, the Relay For Life will be held May 16-17, two weeks later than normal.

But Scoggins says the date change is a small price to pay for the opportunity to run a full-fledged Relay For Life.

“I am overjoyed that the Carolina Mudcats and the Town of Zebulon have become major entities in the fight against cancer by partnering with the East Wake Relay For Life,” Scoggins said.

“This will only improve an already-stellar event.”

The move became a priority for Scoggins and the members of her leadership team following a kickoff meeting with team captains.

At that meeting, Scoggins explained the school system’s stance on disallowing open flame.

The school system, citing insurance regulations to Relay For Life leaders, said no open flames would be allowed on campus.

That meant the luminaria that typically line the track and the stands could no longer be illuminated with candles.

The ruling also meant there could be no cooking on outdoor grills.

That decision was crippling to the East Wake Relay For Life, where those things were staple features of the event.

Last year, the East Wake Relay For Life raised a record $177,125 for cancer research and education.

Of that total, nearly half came from the sale of luminaria and food cooked at the event.

Team captains told Scoggins they wanted to look for another venue for the event rather than abide by the school system’s new rules.

The East Wake Relay For Life is not the only Wake County event abandoning school sites.

Similar events in Garner and Cary have also been moved off public school campuses.

This year’s East Wake Relay For Life begins at 6 p.m. May 16 and will end at noon May 17.

For information about how to form a team or become involved as a volunteer, contact Scoggins at (252) 813-2970.