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Printer-Friendly ModeTeams get ball rolling in fight for cancer research
March 1, 2010 —
Purple signs have dotted the courtyard, and Relay for Life is quickly approaching.
Last year, the American Cancer Society event raised upwards of $48,000 for cancer research. This year, the Relay committee is challenging the SVSU population to raise more than $50,000.
To do so, teams have already begun fundraising and so far have collected about $10,000. Among the 40 teams registered, the one leading the way is the fraternity Delta Sigma Pi.
The fundraiser’s culminating Relay, an all-night event, will begin at 6 p.m. Friday, April 9 and continue until 6 a.m. the next day. Its theme is Relay Olympics, and each team will have chosen a country to represent.
Kali Grove, a political science and public administration junior, is SVSU’s Relay chairperson, and she’s looking forward to the event.
“We have a lot of great things planned,” she said.
The night will feature multiple bands, a mechanical bull, a euchre tournament, a mock rock, a Mr. Relay contest, and the Relay Olympics, which will have its own awards ceremony at the close of the event. Additionally, students can play volleyball and in three-on-three basketball tournaments.
At the Relay kickoff party Monday, Feb. 22, committee members announced the awards for teams from last year. Campus Crusade for Christ had the most successful fundraiser, and both Tau Kappa Epsilon and His House Christian Fellowship were awarded with Most Spirited awards. The top three teams, respectively, were Delta Sigma Pi, Criminal Justice Society and Alpha Mu Gamma.
The American Cancer Society relies on Relay for Life events to help fund cancer research. To date, the society has raised over $3.4 billion and remains the largest contributor to cancer research next to the U.S. federal government.
This year, Relay teams will also be able to track their earnings online. The SVSU Relay has its own Web site. Teams will be able to log on and update the amount of money they have raised.
The Web site features a list with the top team and the top individual donors, as well as a count of the money raised by SVSU teams collectively. The counts are not all accurate yet because teams are still being registered and taught how to use the resource.
Grove encourages all to come out to Relay for Life.
“This year is going to be the best year ever,” she said. “We are going to raise more money than ever and have a blast while doing it.”
Teams can still register, and any group of people can form one, not just student organizations.
To sign up, contact Grove at 989-305-2130 or kmgrove(at)svsu. edu.