The skies were dark for Friday night’s Relay for Life, but guiding lights led a pathway through Johnston Memorial Park.

There was light from campfires in portable fireplaces and flames flickering out of torches surrounding respective campsites.

Some people sat on leather couches, others ambled around the park, but at all times, there were walkers on the one-mile track.

And perhaps the brightest of lights came sometime around 9 p.m.

That’s when the prized park turned into a sea of luminaries.

“This is always very moving,” said Pasqualina Porreca as the ceremony began.

Luminaries are bags used to light the way of walkers that are dedicated to cancer survivors and those who have lost their battle with the disease. Participants purchased the bags, with proceeds going toward the overall contribution to the American Cancer Society.

Thanks to 158 people – who made up some 20 teams – the Rhode Island Chapter of the American Cancer Society raised a total of $24,961.71 during its sixth annual Relay for Life.

“And it is important to note all of the money raised here stays in Rhode Island for cancer research,” said Paula Montgomery, vice president of development for the local cancer society chapter.

Added Montgomery, who had three other Relay for Life events to attend on this night: “People don’t realize the great research we have going on in Rhode Island.”

Seven different locations host cancer research in Rhode Island, including URI and Providence College.

Montgomery then issued what she termed “the important message.”

“Without these great volunteers, there would not be a Relay for Life – anywhere. The volunteers are the most important people we have,” she said.

Two of those volunteers were Porreca, a leasing group staffer for Bank of America, and Jared Ventetuolo, who works in accounting for Colette Tours.

Throughout the night, Porreca and Ventetuolo spent their time passing out T-shirts, registering people of all ages and making sure walkers were prepared for this extraordinary 18-hour event.

An 18-hour marathon?

“Cancer never sleeps,” Ventetuolo answered, “that is why it’s an overnight event.”

The Relay for Life features teams of eight people or more. Each team member must raise a minimum of $100. Those people then take turns – or shifts during the 18-hour event – walking around the track.

Of course, people like Montgomery, Ventetuolo and Porreca always hope there are more participants, and that their individual totals exceed $100.

“The people who were here put in a lot of effort,” Porreca said. “We are thankful for everyone who participated.”

Johnston resident Kelly Mitchell took a lot of important steps the other night.

For starters, Mitchell works in the cancer center at Rhode Island Hospital. She and her mother Christine organized one of the largest teams that participated in the town’s Relay.

“We’re the Mad Hatters,” Christine Mitchell explained, as she rounded up members of her squad for a photo.

The Mad Hatters set up several portable fireplaces, torch poles, leather couches and even toddler chairs – and plenty of food.

There were husbands and wives, toddlers and people from all backgrounds whose lives have been interrupted because of cancer.

Take Kim Kacsios, for example.

“My father-in-law passed away two years ago, on May 16,” Kacsios said, while holding her 22-month-old daughter Sophia May. “This is his granddaughter.”

Kacsios was joined by her father Rick Perry, who raised more than $100 as a member of Team Popovu, which is named after the village in Greece where Kacsios’ father-in-law was from.

Members of Team Popovu, like all those walkers in the Relay for Life, wore white T-shirts that featured screen-printed words like celebrate, remember and fight back.

Volunteer committee members like Porreca and Ventetuolo wore orange T-shirts.

But the brightest of all shirts were colored purple.

Those were worn by women like Diane Gratz of Nashua, N.H., who has battled through and beaten two bouts of colon cancer.

The purple shirts were also worn by such men as 74-year-old Guido Iacobbo, a former Johnston resident.

Iacobbo, who was accompanied by Lori Boffi, beat back prostate cancer and “has been clean for three years.”

“I get checked every six months,” offered Iacobbo, who seemed younger than his years.

To which Boffi added, “One step at a time.”