KAYSVILLE -- Food booths at the American Cancer Society's "Relay for Life" were shut down Friday evening after a Davis County Health Department worker said they required food sales permits.
"This means less money for cancer research," said Joshua Palmer, a participant who was upset organizers didn't know about the need for permits until the booths were closed down. "This is on the backs of cancer research."
Food booths have been a staple at the Relay for Life for at least 10 years with no permit required, said volunteers and local businesses selling food from booths along the walk.
The relay started Friday evening with team members walking the track at Barnes Park until this morning to raise money for cancer research.
That all changed Friday night when a health department worker identified only as Linda, the name on her badge, told food booth operators that they could not stay open without a permit.
Most decided to stop selling rather than pay the $15 fee.
Linda, who did not give her last name, said she could not talk to the Standard-Examiner about what she was doing. "I am doing health inspections."
She said Bob Belleau, public information officer for the Davis County Health Department, would have to answer questions. A call to Belleau was not immediately returned.
Linda said the department did not know about the Central Davis Relay for Life until Friday.
"If we know about them, we get them," she said to a team selling hot dogs and baked goods along with packaged chips.
Palmer was upset because the health department sent someone to the relay event itself to tell them about the permit rather than in the weeks before the event.
"We feel this is not the place to do it," Palmer said. "The health department does a really good job, but I am concerned about the image this is giving. It is not going to look good for the health department. I just want to voice that concern. This gives the perception you are out to make money. This means less money for cancer research."
Palmer said most of those operating the booths did not hear about the permit and fee before the event. It was around 7 p.m., two hours after the start, when the health inspector showed up.
"This could come back and be negative for the health department. There was no warning ahead of time," Palmer said.
Bryce Wilcox, an employee of J-U-B Engineering, said the company sponsors events in the community.
Greg Seegmiller said the company matches money it raises at the event, but with the food booth being closed down, there won't be as much to match.
"To pay $15 to sell $100 worth of stuff is not worth it," Wilcox said. "We have been doing this for multiple years now and have never had a problem until today."
A representative of the American Cancer Society, which organized the event, said the health department called her at 2:57 p.m. Friday, but she had no way to notify anyone because the overnight Relay for Life started just two hours later.
"We have done relays in the county for 10 years. It's really frustrating," she said. She did not give her name because she did not want it used.
"We have been planning this event since January," she said, adding that someone could have let her know about the permits sooner.
She said she paid the permit fee because a local pizza company donated boxed pizzas for the teams. All she had to do was to pick up the pizzas and give them to the teams.
Darren Barnum walked up to see what was happening and was disappointed the booth had to be closed down.
"I was kind of hurt. My father passed away from cancer about two years ago. Now she (Linda) wants to take money away from research. They need the research so people don't have to suffer like he did."
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