Music brought them together as acquaintances, parents who met because their children were in the Panther Valley school band.

Sharing the fight against cancer, which touched both their families, brought them closer.Friday night, their families combined to form team Too Inspired to be Tired, and they led the parade that kicked off the Relay for Life of Tamaqua and surrounding communities.The event began at 2 p.m. Friday and continued until 2 p.m. Saturday at the Tamaqua Area High School stadium."We met because our kids were in the band, and then we found out that my mother (Myrtle Weaver) and her father (Corky Eckhart) both had had cancer," said June Butler of Lansford, explaining her friendship with Nicole Schminkey, also of Lansford."This is our second time getting together for the Relay for Life."Twenty-four relay teams, which numbered 320 participants, registered for the event, which raised $61,950. The top fund-raising teams were Praying for a Cure ($20,362), Luther's Angels ($8,905) and Panther Valley School District ($7,200).