By Bryan Winstead / Full360 Reporter
The Colleges Against Cancer Club hosted their inaugural Relay for Life event on campus on Saturday, the thirteenth. Despite the windy conditions, the cool breeze created a perfect day to support the Relay for Life. The event kicked off at 4:30 PM and concluded at 9:00 PM on the football field.
Although the club is only about a year old, the executive team actively encouraged clubs and organizations on campus to contribute and participate in the relay. Currently, there are ten teams from the university, with more expressing interest in joining. Despite the campaign having only 50 participants, this did not deter additional attendees from joining the event on Saturday. The club also succeeded in attracting outside vendors to support the attendees. The campus demonstrated its support, with over a 100 people participating throughout the day.
Local cancer survivors were also present, walking the track and sharing their stories.
The Relay for Life featured several activities. The primary activity involved participants continuously walking the track; each club or group ensured at least one member was on the track at all times, contributing ten dollars per person. Also, there was a cornhole tournament, which was a huge hit, keeping everyone smiling—even those eliminated from the competition—since everyone was united for the same cause.
The most important event was the lighting of the luminaires. This happened at dusk. The luminaries lined the track of the football field. Each person that was there got to make and light one. This was a sight to see because everyone lit one because of someone they knew had cancer or had beat cancer. This was truly a memorable moment as everyone that was there showed why they were there. Because every lantern lit was for someone that had cancer. There were more lanterns than members at the event because the club was selling them all the week before to staff and students on campus.
The event successfully raised $7,478 for cancer research. For the club’s first Relay for Life, raising nearly seven thousand dollars is an impressive achievement. Over the year, the clubs and students have collectively raised $6,990, bringing the total to $14,468. This remarkable effort showcases the incredible impact a dedicated group can make.
Cancer research is an ongoing endeavor that will continue for decades, but with the funds raised by DelVal and other institutions worldwide, there is hope that such research will remain well-supported. Ideally, the need for luminaries will decrease as progress is made in the fight against cancer.