Relay for Life Celebrates, Remembers and Fights Back
Katie Kerbstat
Issue date: 3/11/09 Section: Features
|
Relay for Life promotes fundraising and awareness of cancer. People create teams, ranging from a few to 15, and camp out in Draddy. Members take turns walking on the track from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. While a team member is walking, other participants engage in various activities set up by the Relay committee.
The committee has planned for 12 hours of activities, music and food. In its sixth year at MC, Relay plans to change up their event with its "battle of the sexes" theme. Girls will take on guys in trivia games, food eating contests and sporting events.
Performances by numerous bands, yoga, dodgeball and a silent auction will also take place. Amongst the fun, participants will be reminded of the event's cause by cancer fact posters hung around the gymnasium.
"It will remind you of what you're there for and keep the cause on your mind but you're still having fun," said Relay co-chair Kathleen Bulson.
The event's cause is illustrated in the ACS's motto of, "Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back." Amidst the fun and games, participants celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer and the strength of survivors that inspires others to fight.
Relay for Life will gather the college community together for an important cause. "If you consider yourself a Jasper, you're at Relay. It's a big community event and it really brings together everyone to fight against something that has touched so many lives. Not a single person who hasn't been affected by it in one way or another," said Bulson.
Bulson and co-chair Victoria Scala encourage all students, faculty, and administrators to create or join teams by signing up online at www.manhattanrelay.com. A team captain creates the team online and then each additional member can join. There is a 10 dollar registration fee for each person, which can be paid online or at the Relay for Life event.
Participants then can start fundraising with ACS's Million Click Challenge. ACS hopes to achieve one million sent emails or "clicks," of their several standardized emails. The emails range from asking for a donations, follow up emails, and thank you notes.