MARION — Organizers for next Saturday’s rib-off in Marion hope to spark interest and raise money to bring back the Relay for Life of Perry County after a two-year hiatus.

After a successful first year in 2008, the event didn’t go as well in 2009 and then disintegrated completely. After a recent fundraiser this year, however, residents felt the need to bring the event back to Perry County.

But organizing a Relay for Life is no small task, so organizers planned fundraisers, like next Saturday’s rib-off, slated for 12-2 p.m. in the Old Winn Dixie parking lot next to the Dollar General in Marion, to help support their goal.

“We are hoping to just start up as much enthusiasm as we can, and a passion just for the mission of the American Cancer Society where everything that we do in terms of fundraising goes to them and in support of what their vision is,” event co-chair Ann Jones said. “We want to push team involvement to help make the Relay become a huge event in 2013.”

The event is especially personal to Jones, who lost her husband, father and father-in-law to cancer.

“For me, being involved is a family issue,” she said. “We just want to do whatever we can to prevent, do away with and eliminate suffering as it relates to cancer.”

For $50, teams of any size can enter to participate in the contest, hosted by Marion Bank and Trust Co. and West Alabama Bank, and compete for cash prizes of $250, $150 and $100 based on judges’ perception of their Boston Butts or pork loins.

A People’s Choice and Spirit award will also be presented to teams participating. Organizers expect more than five groups to partake in the rib-off.

Those who would like to attend the event and sample the food can purchase an armband for $5, which enables them to try a sample of food at every tent and vote for the People’s Choice Award.

“We hope this will be a big, successful event that will continue into the future,” Jones said. “We don’t want to have the breakdown in participation that we had for the past couple years. Our goal is, whatever happens this year and into 2013, it will continue. An annual event is an ultimate goal.”

For more information and to register to compete in the rib-off, call Jones at 683-6086, or fundraising chair Ellen Richardson at 683-2819.