The event started the weekend at Orange Showground with more than $59,000 of its $100,000 total already raised and banked and by Sunday the total was up to $84,000.

Chair of the organising committee Emily Scott said last year $104,000 was raised and it was looking likely it would be matched when all the teams’ money was banked in the next few weeks.

Miss Scott said about 700 people were involved which was down on the 1000 last year.

She said a change of date from March to May might have led to a drop in numbers and said the committee would discuss which date to choose for next year.

Special thanks was given to committee member Sandy Ostini, who is battling terminal breast cancer, for her 21 years of running Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea events.

VIDEO: Having some fun at Relay for Life’s colour run ...

Mrs Ostini also branched out into Pink Ribbon Day and Daffodil Day and has been part of Relay for Life since its inception.

She had no idea how much she had raised in those years, but she was proud the Orange community’s relay efforts had yielded more than $1 million. 

“Every dollar makes a big difference,” she said. 

“I had family and friends with cancer and I found a flyer for Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea in my mailbox.”

Fundraising efforts continued throughout the day, with a number of raffles, bake sales and sausage sizzles. 

Squad Up Archery Tag had one of the more unusual fundraising methods, offering archery target practice in exchange for donations.