Friday’s Miss-Lou Relay for Life continued on a phenomenal record of giving.

Topping last year’s fundraising mark, dozens of area volunteers raised more than $150,000 to donate for cancer research.

That’s a staggering figure, particularly because that money often comes in hard-earned fundraisers, penny drives and other efforts that take much time.

If the dollars raised were converted to pennies and stacked on top of one another, the stack would tower some 18 miles into the sky.

If that seems staggering — and almost impossible to imagine — it is.

Since the inception of the local Relay for Life in 1995, area residents have given well more than $3 million to the cause.

The money goes to the American Cancer Society, a group aimed at researching the causes of cancer for both treatment and prevention.

Although a cancer diagnosis is still enough to cause even the strongest people to waver, money pouring into research has improved the outcomes of treatments over the years.

We applaud the many, hard-working volunteers who give countless hours of their time to make our community’s Relay event not only come off without a hitch, but to also make it among the top producing Relay for Life events per capita in the nation.

That shows both the spirit of volunteerism in our area and also the great generosity and work ethic those folks possess.

What a great group of people, who deserve our community’s thanks.