FRANKLIN—Dedicated volunteers and strong community support helped Franklin-Southampton Relay for Life raise $132,259 this year, surpassing its fundraising goal by more than $4,000.

“We just hope this helps,” said Relay Co-Chairman Jim Jervey. “As a relay, we’re extremely proud of our volunteers and we hope that all $132,000-plus makes a difference.”

The Relay also surpassed its goal last year, raising more than $136,000.

Crystal Drewry, the Relay’s accounting chairwoman, said she expected relay to meet its goal this year, despite the region’s economic difficulties, because cancer affects people of all ages.

“It really hits anybody, and anybody can go at any time,” Drewry said. “Everybody kind of opened their hearts.”

The fundraising drive officially ended Aug. 31.

This is the Franklin-Southampton Relay for Life’s 16th year. While a lot of progress has been made during that time, Jervey said there’s still a lot more to be done to hopefully find a cure for cancer.

“We still lose friends and family members each day to cancer, so we’re going to keep plugging away,” he said. “We’re just hoping that every dollar helps in some form or fashion.”

Proceeds go to the American Cancer Society to help fund cancer research.

“Relay team members are unique individuals — they truly care about raising that $1 that could eventually end the need to have a Relay,” Relay Co-Chairwoman Kathy Worrell wrote in an e-mail. “They have experienced the pain of losing a loved one to this disease and they have experienced the joy of having a loved one fight and beat this disease as well.”

Officials have not yet set a fundraising goal for the 2011 relay, but many teams are already raising money, according to Worrell.

“They are raising money and saving lives, one lap at a time,” she wrote.