Relay for Life to collect funds for cancer society

The Lehigh chapter of Colleges Against Cancer and Alpha Gamma Delta sorority are preparing for the second annual Lehigh Relay for Life to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Andrea Baritz, ’08, Sarah Walter, ’08, and Natalia Krepak, ’08, have been working with Tom Harper and Wendy Stickler of the Lehigh Valley Unit of the American Cancer Society to prepare for the event, which will take place April 15 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on the University Center lawn.

The 12-hour event will feature a variety of food and entertainment. Breakfast will be provided during the relay to all participants, courtesy of David Joseph and dining services in partnership with the Pepsi Corporation. Area businesses such as Goosey Gander and Buca di Beppo will also be donating food throughout the day.

Numerous student performers will be participating, including the Echoes, Kublai Khan and Danny Rocco, ’10. The dance team and step team will also be giving special performances.

Several speakers from both Lehigh and the community will be in attendance, including at least one student and one faculty member who survived cancer. The evening will include the Luminaria candle dedication ceremony to honor those who have lost their battles against cancer. A dedication wall will also be erected. On it, anyone affected directly or indirectly by cancer can leave a purple handprint to symbolize cancer’s tragic scope.

Lehigh held its first relay in 2006, raising nearly $25,000 with more than forty teams participating.

“Last year each person on average raised $180,” Harper said. This year Baritz hopes to surpass that and raise $30,000 in donations.

The CAC and Alpha Gam have raised about $7,000 already, and Baritz encourages more students to join. She said few events bring together as many campus groups as Relay for Life.

“Relay for Life is an event that builds community spirit and produces a sense of strength while collecting money to help find a cure for cancer,” Baritz said.

Tom Harper said Relay for Life has a big impact. As a non-profit organization, the ACS is dependent upon donations, generating around $374 million dollars annually from private donations and events such as Relay for Life, Harper said. Money raised by Relay for Life is donated to the ACS and helps to fund cancer education, research and services.

“Our goal is to one day not have a relay,” Harper said.

Funds raised by Relay for Life allow the ACS to provide cancer patients with around-the-clock support through their Patient Service Center.

Students or faculty who want to purchases luminaries can do so for $10 at Ulrich Student Center from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. this week. Besides luminaries, CAC and Alpha Gam will be selling purple ribbons, purple carnations, and star and moon dedications. On Friday, CAC and Alpha Gam will also be holding a fundraiser at Sal’s Restaurant during dinner hours, where 10 percent of all proceeds will be donated to the relay.

Individuals interested in participating in the relay can form teams of eight to 15 people or sign up individually online at relayforlife.org. There is a $10 fee to register and each participant receives a free T-shirt. The deadline to register and receive a T-shirt is April 6.

Source : www.bw.lehigh.edu