Nancy Verderber will tell you that every little bit counts.

"If people stop by and buy a hot dog, it makes a difference," said Verderber, who is at the helm of this weekend's Relay for Life event at Robert Morris University. "It's a way to fight cancer, and it's a way to give back to a great cause."

Verderber said as many as 400 people are expected to attend the American Cancer Society event, which begins at 4 p.m. Saturday at Joe Walton Stadium.

It will feature a luminaria ceremony at nightfall Saturday and a "fight-back" ceremony for cancer survivors, including live entertainment and vendors. There will be a 1 a.m. kickball game and a Sunday-morning scavenger hunt.

Nationally, the Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society's largest annual fundraiser. Teams will walk the track at Joe Walton Stadium for a 24-hour period to raise money for cancer treatment research.

"We invite everybody to come and do something personal in the fight against cancer," Verderber said. "Whether its quitting smoking or making a pledge to something themselves to improve their chances of not getting cancer."

Verderber said Moon has played host to the relay for 18 years. It outgrew its former Moon Park venue.

"This is one of those events that the community gets involved in," Verderber said. "It's grown in size, and we're thrilled to be having it at the college this year."

A schedule of events for the relay can be found on our gallery. Check back with Patch this weekend for continued coverage of the event.