Teacher Bud Penner with some of his students from Mitchell Middle School

Elementary students in Hanover School Division have been preparing luminaries for the Relay for Life.

Friday afternoon, some of them were at the TG Smith arena setting them up. Mitchell Middle School teacher Bud Penner brought several classes of students with him to help set up. He explains he was really impressed with how well the students understood exactly what they were doing when they were making the luminaries.

"I think they realized the reason why we do it and the cause. When I talk to my students in class, I'm always asking them who they know that has cancer or has survived from cancer and about 95% of the hands shoot up. I think they realize what this is for and why they're doing it."

Caleb Enns is a grade 12 student at Steinbach Christian High School, and he says there was one luminary that really stood out to him.

"It said 'Hope' in a banner across the top, and on the bottom it said 'Peace and love' and the 'love' was spelt L-U-V. The reason it stuck out to me was because you could tell it was from the little kids heart. He may now know how to spell, but it's just his message from his heart going out to all these people. He doesn't know them, but he's wishing the best for them regardless of the situation."

Enns notes the luminaries give him a feeling of hope, and he encourages anyone struggling with cancer to keep going strong and fight hard. One of his classmates, Allyson Wareham, was also blown away by the luminaries the children made. She says her favourites were the simple ones and loved how much love the children were showing for people they don't know, and explains that's something people should try to mimic. She adds she's also doesn't have a problem with moving the event to the TG Smith Arena to get out of the rain.

"I think the TG Smith Arena is a place in the community. The Relay for Life isn't necessarily just where it's done, it's the spirit of it, and the fact we're fighting and we're fighting together. We want that hope and we want that family. So I don't think that the venue matters, it's that we're here and we're fighting strong."

Both Wareham and Enns add anyone battling cancer isn't alone, as they have all of their friends and family fighting with them.