UGA Relay holds week-long events
What turns you on?
UGA Relay For Life aims to “turn the channel on cancer” and turn on students to their cause through a week-long Oktoberfest.
“Our theme is a little bit out there, but on a college campus it’s a great way to get people’s attention, keep it fun and get everyone excited about such a great cause,” said Meredith Schneider, UGA Relay For Life’s public relations chair, in a phone interview Thursday.
Today, UGA Relay For Life team members will be at the Tate Student Center Plaza wearing purple shirts – the organization’s signature color – and promoting the annual fund-raising event for the American Cancer Society.
To join the event, students, faculty and staff register for a team on campus through UGA Relay For Life. Each team, consisting of eight to 10 members, raises money throughout the year to support each lap they walk around a track during the 24-hour event.
RELAY REGISTRATION
Register to join teams until the day of the event at ugarelay.org
“This year, Relay For Life already has 95 teams and more than 1,550 participants registered for April’s event,” Schneider said.
Those who do not join a team can still participate for $10. All cancer survivors and staff can attend the event for free.
On Tuesday, UGA Relay For Life and Colleges Against Cancer will team up to promote National Breast Cancer Awareness month. “Ta ta cookies” will be sold for $1 on North Campus. Also, information on breast cancer awareness and prevention will be available.
On Wednesday, the organization will set up luminaries in the Tate Plaza in remembrance of those who have died from cancer. Team members will wear black and collect donations from students who purchase small luminary candles.
Thursday, students are invited to share what turns them on, while standing in a large TV at Tate. UGA Relay For Life will take pictures of students and post them to their Web site and Facebook page.
T-shirts will be sold on Friday to raise money for the fund-raising event, which will be held on April 23, 2010.
The University received three American Cancer Society research grants, which total more than $2 million.
“That’s really exciting because the money that we raise on campus goes back into our system and into cancer research,” Schneider said.
In 2000, UGA Relay For Life became the first student-run Relay in the country. Until 2006, it was the highest grossing collegiate Relay. In 2009, the UGA Relay event raised $240,000 for the American Cancer Society. Since its inception, it has raised more than $2 million.
