With a trio of snips through the purple ribbon that crossed the threshold, the latest weapon in a local fight against cancer opened up.

Lawrence County’s own Cancer Resource Center joins the centers in Jackson, Gallia and Scioto counties as places for those overwhelmed with the diagnosis as somewhere to find help.

A grand opening complete with balloons and an appearance by Mayor Rich Blankenship was at 11:30 a.m. Friday as volunteers waited for their first visitors.

Located in the Workforce Development Resource Center, 120 N. 3rd St., the resource center will start with hours on two days a week: Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

As more volunteers sign up, the goal is to expand that to five days a week from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There, a patient can walk in and get information that may ease the situation of learning one has cancer.

“When you get a blow like this, you don’t know where to turn,” Penny Dodgion, a volunteer, said. “We have huge amounts of information that we can provide. They need to be informed themselves to make better decisions.”

And the center is geared not only to those with the disease.

“It is open to family members and students needing information,” said Jamie Chafin, who also is a volunteer.

Volunteers also plan to use the center as a headquarters for a variety of American Cancer Society programs such as Reach for Recovery for breast cancer patients; Look Good-Feel Better program; and Relay for Life. In fact, the center is one of the byproducts of the annual Relay for Life spring fund-raiser.

Those in the community who wish to volunteer to staff the center or to work on a cancer program may contact Chafin at (740) 646-4380 or Dodgion at (740) 532-3140.