The giant festival-style community fundraising event, due to be held on March 5 at Forsyth Barr Stadium, had to be cancelled due to Covid-19 Red traffic light setting restrictions.
Instead, the Cancer Society is encouraging teams and individuals to take part in an alternative "Relay Your Way" event — encouraging them to "walk apart, but not alone".
Cancer Society Otago-Southland events and community campaigns team leader Emma Anderson said the Paint the Town Purple campaign gave businesses, schools and organisations the chance to be part of a fun challenge that would also help to raise awareness of Relay Your Way.
Gold partner Countdown is showing the way at its central Dunedin store, greeting shoppers as they arrive with a brightly decorated entrance way.
"It’s great to see how excited the team at Countdown are to support the Paint the Town Purple challenge — the store looks amazing," Ms Anderson said.
"We are hoping it will inspire others to have a go.
"We know this is a tough time for many businesses and organisations, but we are hoping that taking some time out to decorate your shop or window in purple will be fun," Ms Anderson said.
"It will also help us to promote the new Relay Your Way event, which is going to be an important fundraiser for the society."
The Paint the Town Purple challenge will run throughout the first week of March, and the best-dressed business or organisation will win a morning tea shout courtesy of Pita Pit.
The Cancer Society has a supply of purple bunting
and posters to help businesses and organisations with decorating.
To take part in the Paint the Town Purple challenge, register online at relayforlife.org.nz/dunedin.
The Relay Your Way event, which is set to run throughout March, has already attracted 28 teams and 74 individual registrations.
Fundraising for the Cancer Society has already topped $14,600.
Ms Anderson encouraged everyone who wanted to support the society to get together with family, friends and colleagues and sign up as a team, or as an individual.
"The team packs are amazing, filled with lots of goodies from our sponsors, and we really need the support," she said.
"We have had to cancel a lot of fundraising events during the past two years — it has been a real roller-coaster.
"So, it would be great to get lots of support through Relay Your Way to help fund our community programmes."
For more information, visit relayforlife.org.nz/dunedin
