Nothing is ever perfect about an event like Relay for Life.

It may be too muddy, too humid, too crowded, raining, too dry. This year, it’s likely it will be too hot and too mosquito-filled.

But perfect isn’t the point. And those comfort-seekers among us might not be perfectly at ease.

Cancer isn’t comfortable. Cancer destroys “perfect.” And cancer doesn’t sleep.

The slogan Relay for Life has used over the years has always run chills up and down my back. “Cancer doesn’t sleep, so for one night, we don’t either.”

It’s a gripping thought, and it is what has motivated hundreds of Miss-Lou residents to pull an all-nighter each May for years.

But like cancer, the Mississippi River isn’t always friendly and this year the muddy waters had different plans. When it came time for the annual Relay, the site — on the Vidalia Riverfront — was inaccessible due to river waters.

A new date was set, and this Friday Relay teams will again gather on the now-dry riverfront.

For those of you who have never taken part in the Relay, you’ve missed out. Teams will set up booths around the makeshift track in late afternoon. By 6 the fun will be gearing up.

Booths will sell goodies for children, food, candy and drinks. Performers will entertain on stage.

And all the while, members of various Relay teams will be walking the track, hour-by-hour, all night long.

Luminaries — bags with candles — will line the track, and a wall containing the names of loved ones who battled cancer will be on display.

The event literally lasts all night long, so drop by when you can, or spend the night.

And as you are walking the track, keep an eye out for The Natchez Democrat booth. We will be right next to the stage.

Our office started a Relay team last year, and had so much fun that we are doing it again.

Like last year, members of the newsroom staff will be working from the site to put the Saturday newspaper together.

We are bringing several computers over, and we’ll hook them up to a projector. Our photos and pages will be projected onto the sheet so passersby can walk and watch us work.

It’s the perfect opportunity for you to point and laugh as we misspell words in headlines and, hopefully, correct them.

We’ll start the night with a blank front page and region page. As the night goes on we’ll add photos and stories from the Relay and the other events of the day. I’m still fascinated by the process we undergo each night to make a newspaper, and hopefully you will be too.

Last year, the day of Relay was the same day then-Circuit Clerk M.L. “Binkey” Vines pleaded guilty to embezzlement. The big story made our night more stressful, but made for a great show for you all.

We don’t know what may happen this Friday, but one way or the other, we’ll make a newspaper, and you’ll have a chance to read tomorrow’s news today.

As the newsroom works other members of our team will be selling T-shirts and other goodies. Be sure to come see us, and if we look a bit frazzled, just remember we are on deadline.

It will probably be hot. The mosquitoes will likely be out in force. And it may even rain.

But the Relay for Life is bigger than the weather. The American Cancer Society fundraiser is about people. Specifically, it’s about people in our community.

The Miss-Lou that I know doesn’t let a few bugs and a little sweat stop it.

Julie Finley is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.finley@natchezdemocrat.com.