Annual Relay planned for Friday night

Teams set $40,000 goal for cancer victims, survivors in 12-hour event

April 3, 2006 —

Over 30 teams of students and other community members will join together to walk on behalf of cancer patients for 12 hours on Friday for the fourth annual Relay For Life in the President's Courtyard.

Being held from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Relay For Life is an event sponsored by the American Cancer Society for the celebration of those who have beaten cancer, to honor those who have died from it, and to support those who are fighting the disease.

Last year, in its third year at SVSU, Relay For Life raised $28,000. So far this year, the 30 teams have only raised $3,500 but hope to reach their goal of $40,000.

Throughout the night, there will be many events going on. There will be a path marked off, where people will be walking to raise money. Like last year, it will go around the President's Courtyard.

To make the walk a little more exciting, there will be entertainment provided for the night. A DJ will play music in between other planned events.

The "Mr. Relay" event figures to be a popular event.

Each team is asked to sponsor a male member who will then dress up as a woman. He will participate in a pageant where he will be announced by his own stage name, then talk about any interests he may have and perform a dance or sing a song.

Relay For Life participants will then be asked to donate money to the candidate of their choice and the male with the most money collected will be announced as "Mr. Relay." All money will then be donated back to Relay For Life and the winner will receive a basketball autographed by Saginaw native and Golden State Warriors guard Jason Richardson.

Other SVSU organizations plan on helping out for the evening's events. Program Board is sponsoring human foosball and airbrush tattoos, which had gone over well during Fresh Start. The human foosball and airbrush tattoos will be located on the President's Courtyard during the event. Other activities include euchre, poker, basketball tournaments, carnival games, volleyball, and ping pong.

One of the most important events of the evening, however, will be the Survivor ceremony. During the ceremony, cancer survivors will take the first lap around the Courtyard as the names of the victims remembered will be read off. Third-year student Artist Pietrykowski will also be singing a song during the ceremony. Cancer survivors will speak about their stories as well.

This week, before Relay For Life, tables will be set up at various locations throughout campus such as outside the RFoC and Einstein's Eatery.

Items for sale at the tables include t-shirts for $8, Relay For Life feet or bracelets for $1, and luminary bags, which will be lit during the night's scheduled Survivor Ceremony, for $5.