Pointlife
Each year cancer survivors, their families, community members and Pointers enjoy a night of communal fellowship and help raise money for a noble cause.
Camping out for the cure: UW-SP to host Relay For Life
The Pointer
ataub878@uwsp.edu
The recipe for Relay: one night mixed with love, friendship, inspiration and hope, bringing people together to fight back against cancer.
Put on annually in Stevens Point, The Relay For Life is organized by the student group Colleges Against Cancer and is sponsored in part by the American Cancer Society. Held in the Health Enhancement Center from 7 p.m. April 24 through the closing ceremony on April 25, there is just one day left until Relay!
Attended by over 200 University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point students, staff and faculty last year, the successful fundraiser will once again open with the survivor ceremony at 7 p.m., followed by the luminaria ceremony at 10 p.m. and finishing with a closing ceremony at 8 a.m. on Saturday.
“Because so many people are affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly, and the American Cancer Society is well-known and well-respected, fundraising is easy,” said Molly VanHoorn, member of the publicity team for CAC.
VanHoorn, as well as Stevie, Stephanie and McKenzie Pointer, will be joining the 32 teams and 293 participants that have raised over $15,000 this year for the all-night occasion that is themed, “Lights, Camera, Take action for a cure!”
“This year’s Relay is going to be amazing,” said VanHoorn.
For the extent of the event, groups of friends, families, neighbors and co-workers have combined into teams of two to 15 people and will take turns walking or running around a track all night long, raising funds to fight this devastating disease.
But in order to stay awake through the night, entertainment is a must. This active, overnight event hosts campsites, themed laps, contests, games, entertainment, food and prizes in what Kimberly Beckman, president of CAC, calls “a fun way to fight back against cancer.”
Starting the night out, relayers will hit the track in attire appropriate for the Hollywood theme. Other laps include ugly sweater/funny t-shirt, UW-SP spirit, gangsta, superhero, toga, dudette vs. macho man and tropical themes.
“People really get into them and some are quite funny,” said VanHoorn.
Different activities throughout the night include root beer pong, lightning basketball, red light/green light, DDR, Rock Band, Guitar Hero, messy twister, Fear Factor, three-on-three basketball and the 4 a.m. dance power hour.
Other special events will take place such as the chance through auction to run around the track as a Klement’s Sausage Racer. Similar in nature to the sausage races at Miller Park in Milwaukee relayers will be able to emulate their favorite weiners. A Nintendo Wii will also be raffled off with tickets costing $1.
In the perhaps most touching part of the evening a luminaria ceremony will be held to acknowledge the people who have been affected by cancer. Individuals or companies can make contributions and light a luminaria at the event for $5. Luminarias can be personalized or a pre-decorated bag can be used. Each dedicated luminaria will be displayed at the event.
“Everyone has a personal reason to Relay,” said VanHoorn. “Some do it in honor of those who have lost their battle to cancer, others to celebrate those who have survived. Students should Relay just to be part of an amazing cause.”
But outside of this event, students can contribute to The American Cancer Society’s goals by “exercising regularly, choosing a nutritious diet, avoiding tobacco products, using sun screen and getting regular cancer screenings,” said Beckman, who also says it is important to encourage family members to do the same.
Community members are welcome to attend Relay.
