Aug. 7, 2021 — Over July 30 and 31, a team from Florence competed in the Cascade Lakes Relay in Bend, Ore. 

The race can be run or walked, with a total of 216.6 miles included, though the race can be split into two 132-mile legs.

The local participants were Robbie Wright, Stephanie Wright, Liz Hughes and Becky Holbrook. It was the first relay for Hughes and Holbrook, but both the Wrights have previously competed in the event. It was Robbie’s 12 year and the fifth year for Stephanie. 

“The fires made the air quality bad enough this year to change the course of the race for the first half,” Holbrook said.

In recognition of that, Cascade Relays, which runs multiple relay events in Eastern Oregon, set up a fundraiser for communities in the area affected by the Bootleg Fire.

For more information, visit cascaderelays.com.