This year, Bellevue’s 24-Hour Relay is taking on a new challenge. To help meet the demand on local food banks, the organizers have decided to change the focus of this year’s event. Instead of the usual relay, an event traditionally held the last weekend of June, the relay directors are coordinating an all-community food drive.

For the past 10 years, the city has hosted the 24-Hour Relay Challenge to bring youth and adults together to build bonds and raise money for youth programs, while walking around Downtown Park.

This year’s event is a food drive competition where 10-member teams will use their energy not to run laps, but instead, to collect bags of non-perishable food.

The competition will culminate in an event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, where teams will drop off their collected food items at Downtown Park, 10201 Fourth St. NE. The food will be weighed and individuals for each participating team can earn community service hours based on the amount of food their team collects.

The teams will celebrate their accomplishments with a free hot dog lunch, team prizes and a variety of entertainment.

Over 1,600 people participated in last year’s event and organizers are hoping this year’s event will be even bigger.

“It really is a great opportunity to give back this year, when the need is so great for food, it really feels like it is the right thing to do,” said Brandi Dorsett, a coordinator who has helped organize past relay events.

Bellevue’s 24-Hour Relay Challenge endeavors to help youth become productive citizens by promoting strong family support, positive self-esteem, integrity, service to others, positive peer influences, and positive adult role models. The challenge for youth and adults is to build community connections through community service and leadership.

The event is co-sponsored by the city of Bellevue and Bellevue School District, with help from many area businesses. The Relay will return June 2010.

To register, or for more information, check Bellevue’s NEW FOOD Challenge, or contact Teen Services at 425-452-2846 or hstephens@bellevuewa.gov.