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Printer-Friendly ModeRELAY TOPS LAST YEAR
Teams raise $47k, top 2010 total by $7k
April 11, 2011 —
With $47,200 raised by 6 a.m. Saturday morning, this year’s Relay for Life event surpassed the American Cancer Society’s goal of $45,000 and is only $2,800 short of SVSU’s personal goal of $50,000.
There were 650 people in attendance at one point during the event, and 33 of those people were survivors who had pre-registered. Even more survivors came to the event and walked the survivor lap.
Social work freshman Zach Becker, the committee chair of entertainment, gave the opening survivor speech.
Although it was his first year at relay, Baker said he plans to continue to be involved with Relay for Life.
“I didn’t expect it to be this big,” Becker said. “It’s something that’s so centralized with people in the same area affected by the same thing.”
He added the he relayed due to a personal experience and for cancer survivors and victims. Some people he knows personally are his grandma’s sister and his dad’s aunt.
He said his favorite part was the luminaria ceremony, a walk in remembrance of those who have had cancer. Kathy Hubbard, a survivor for eight years, opened the ceremony by sharing her story and by blessing people whose loved ones are struggling with cancer.
Before the lap, glow sticks were handed out and participants asked to raise them when their reasons for involvement were announced. As everyone walked a lap, glowsticks were also placed in the luminaria bags lining the track.
Social work senior Megan Morell, a member of the Student Social Work Organization’s team, said she relayed for her mom and grandma.
Marketing junior Brittany Trout, a member Delta Sigma Pi and Dining Services team, said she relayed for her aunt who had cancer. As of April 10, the team had raised $5,388.36, which was the highest amount of any team.
Management and accounting senior Jess Drake, who is on the same team and is the team development chair for committee, said she relayed for a family friend who had died. She has a tattoo of a rose on her ankle in honor of the friend. The same rose was drawn on her luminaria bag.
Out of 25 attendees interviewed at Relay for Life, five relayed for a parent, 18 relayed for a grandparent, six relayed for an aunt, five relayed for an uncle, four relayed for a cousin, one relayed for a niece and 21 relayed for a friend.
There were many activities during the night to raise money, such as a Miss-ter Relay competition, a date auction, a silent auction, a dance-off and games. Also, each team had a table for on-sight fundraising.
Although there were many events and activities throughout the night to appeal to different people, they all came back to the same uniting purpose of Relay for Life, which is to raise money in the fight against cancer.
“It’s exciting and a lot of fun,” said exercise science senior Amber Stone. “Everyone’s doing something.”
Although the event is over, people are still able to donate to Relay for Life. Any money brought in will be added to the total amount.