Tropolitan photo
Students at a previous Relay for Life event participate in tug-of-war.
Victoria Cirilli
Staff Writer
This Saturday, March 24, Relay for Life will take place from noon to 5 p.m. on the Shackelford Quad, or Sartain gymnasium if the weather does not permit.
Relay for Life is a community fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, which uses its funds for cancer research. Troy University has a cumulative goal to raise $10,000 for this cause.
“Our theme this year is ‘One Troy, One Cure,’ and we look forward to coming together as a body of students to fight back against cancer in search of a cure,” said Emily Tew, a junior communication major from Headland and student director for Relay for Life.
According to Tew, the event will have food and drinks for sale by different teams, live entertainment by DJ Red and Rebel, and an inflatable obstacle course, among other things.
“I’ve been involved in Relay for Life for 15 years,” Tew said. “My dad passed away from colon cancer in 2003, and since then, my family has been involved in my hometown Relay, so it holds a very special place in my heart.
“After moving to Troy, I got involved on the committee for the university’s Relay for Life. We have 16 teams that will be present at Relay, all which have done various things to fundraise from T-shirts to bake sales and everything in between.”
A balloon release ceremony will take place at 1:30 p.m. to honor and remember those who have been lost to cancer and those still fighting. The balloons can be purchased at the event for $3 at the university’s committee tent.
According to Alexis Gramling, a sophomore social work major from Erin, Wisconsin, who is in charge of Alpha Delta Pi’s tent, “Relays” usually take place at night. However, since Spring Preview Day falls on the same weekend, it was moved to earlier in the day to encourage prospective Troy students and their families to participate as well.
Sydney St. John, a sophomore nursing major from Leeds and one of Student Government Association’s team co-leaders, said SGA has a goal to raise $500 for cancer research.
“I want our team to help stress the importance of cancer research,” St. John said.
“I think that sometimes we see so much about it that we become desensitized to it, and I think Relay for Life is a good way to see how real (cancer) is and how many people are affected by it.”
In order to prepare for the weekend and raise money for this cause, SGA had a spirit night at Momma Goldberg’s on Monday.
Members are also selling buttons and handing out stickers. During Relay for Life, they will be selling hamburgers and hot dogs at their tent.
“The day of, we will be selling Crush soda for $1 at our tent, and the money will go towards our team’s fundraising,” Gramling said.
“We decided on Crush soda so that the cans can say, ‘thanks for helping CRUSH cancer.’”
Currently, the top two teams who have donated are Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority and FarmHouse Fraternity with a combined total of $365 raised.
The official winning teams will be announced Saturday at the event.