Last modified: Sunday, June 10, 2007 12:09 AM EDT Lorraine and Roger Desrosiers of Attleboro donned their rain gear as they walked around the North Attleboro High School track during Saturday’s Greater Attleboro Relay For Life for the American Cancer Society. A steady morning rain forced the event to be curtailed. (Staff photo by KEITH NORDSTROM) North Attleboro relay raises $295,000 BY REBECCA KEISTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF NORTH ATTLEBORO - Rain may have forced an early end to the Greater Attleboro Relay For Life Saturday, but it didn't do anything to dampen the event's spirit or its success. "It went great. People had a blast, despite the rain," said Debbie Fox, event co-chairwoman. "Last night was great." Walkers in the Relay For Life - which raises money for the American Cancer Society and allows communities to come together in support of that goal - raised just about $295,000 this year so far. The cancer society will be accepting donations credited toward the North Attleboro event well into August. American Cancer Society staffer Katie Boutilier said Saturday that the latest amount raised brings this Relay For Life event to a nine-year total of $2.4 million raised. She also said this year's total will once again put the Greater Attleboro Relay in the top 25 for New England for the third consecutive year. Especially touching at this year's event was the opening ceremony, which featured three area youngsters who are battling cancer: Jake McGuire, 6, C.J. Buckley, 5, and A.J. Brown, 4. Local celebrity Ayla Brown, a former "American Idol" contestant, was there to greet the boys along with Paws, the PawSox mascot. "They were really excited about that," Fox said. Walkers spent the night at North Attleboro High School, continuing the walk into Saturday morning, when rain took over around 9:30 a.m., prompting many people to pack up early. The oldest Relay For Life in The Sun Chronicle area, the Greater Attleboro Relay For Life will mark its 10th year in 2008. The two newest relays in the immediate area - Mansfield and Foxboro - will take place over the next two weekends from 6 p.m. Friday to noon on Saturday. The Mansfield event, to be held June 15-16, will be at Mansfield High School, while the Foxboro event, to be held June 22-23, will be at the Ahern Middle School. The top fundraisers of this year's Greater Attleboro Relay For Life, according to the American Cancer Society, were: Top team: AJ's Gymboree Jammers $15,000. Top online individual: Katie Parks. Top overall individual: Marilyn Picarelli, $4,000. Most spirited team: Living Waters For Life. Best decorated team campsite: Rosie's Renegades. REBECCA KEISTER can be reached at 508-236-0336 or at rkeister@thesunchronicle.com.