2008 Woodie Awards
Relay for Life slated for Friday
Suzanne Merkelson
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: News
Relay for Life, an all-night fundraising event benefiting the American Cancer Society, will take place this Friday, May 2 on the College Green. The event has occurred annually at the College since 2005. Seniors Kristin Weigle, Ling U and Kristi Boman have been involved with planning Relay since 2005 and this year will serve as event chairs.
Relay occurs nationwide at different locations at different times. The event involves teams working together to fundraise prior to an all-night relay walk, beginning at 6 p.m. and ending the next morning with a closing ceremony at 6. Cancer survivors and their family members are usually an intricate part of each Relay-often, they walk the relay's first lap as a "lap of honor." Furthermore, community members who have lost their lives to cancer are honored through specific donations, often taking the form of "luminaries," which are lit throughout the night to serve as a remembrance. According to U and Weigle, the purpose of the event is to recognize that the effects of cancer never stop, so "we shouldn't stop fighting it." Thus goes the reasoning for an all-night walk. Furthermore, as the event chairs pointed out, "It's a fun way to fundraise." The event's t-shirts utilize this message, reading: "Relay for Life: The Ultimate One Night Stand."
As of last Friday, 330 people had already signed up on 40 different teams, according to event organizers. At that point, participants had raised $19,200, surpassing the total amount raised at this point last year (the 2007 Relay total at the College was about $34,000).
This year, organizers are excited for a new element that is coming to Relay. Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a hair-donation scheme associated with the American Cancer Society, will host a donation program that will begin after the opening lap. As of Friday, nine female students had volunteered to donate at least eight inches of their hair, which will be donated to create free wigs for cancer patients. Waterville's People's Salon and Spa are donating the services of nine hairstylists who will provide the students with free haircuts and styles.
Relay occurs nationwide at different locations at different times. The event involves teams working together to fundraise prior to an all-night relay walk, beginning at 6 p.m. and ending the next morning with a closing ceremony at 6. Cancer survivors and their family members are usually an intricate part of each Relay-often, they walk the relay's first lap as a "lap of honor." Furthermore, community members who have lost their lives to cancer are honored through specific donations, often taking the form of "luminaries," which are lit throughout the night to serve as a remembrance. According to U and Weigle, the purpose of the event is to recognize that the effects of cancer never stop, so "we shouldn't stop fighting it." Thus goes the reasoning for an all-night walk. Furthermore, as the event chairs pointed out, "It's a fun way to fundraise." The event's t-shirts utilize this message, reading: "Relay for Life: The Ultimate One Night Stand."
As of last Friday, 330 people had already signed up on 40 different teams, according to event organizers. At that point, participants had raised $19,200, surpassing the total amount raised at this point last year (the 2007 Relay total at the College was about $34,000).
This year, organizers are excited for a new element that is coming to Relay. Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a hair-donation scheme associated with the American Cancer Society, will host a donation program that will begin after the opening lap. As of Friday, nine female students had volunteered to donate at least eight inches of their hair, which will be donated to create free wigs for cancer patients. Waterville's People's Salon and Spa are donating the services of nine hairstylists who will provide the students with free haircuts and styles.
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