Campus brings in $30,000 for Relay for Life
By Gabrielle Lover
Photo Editor
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| Photo by Gabrielle Lover |
| Survivors of cancer walk a lap around the track in front of the UC during Relay for Life. The annual event raised over $30,000 for cancer awareness. |
As 36 cancer survivors walked in unison to the lyrics "Eye of the Tiger" from the band Survivor, onlookers and supporters cheered and shouted words of encouragement.
"Relay for Life is an event that raises funds for research and programs that help patients through their battle with cancer. It is an event that will one day help find a cure for cancer and ensure that the world is full of more birthdays," said Erika Garner, assistant event chair of Relay for Life.
On April 8, UNCP marked its fifth annual Relay for Life to help with the fight against cancer.
The event took place on the University Center Lawn and began at 12 p.m. and ended at 12 p.m. the following day.
Meeting their goal, Relay raised over $30,000 beating out the amount raised last year, $26,000.
There were 53 teams registered and a total of 802 people signed up to participate for this year's events. Many of the teams sold things such as t-shirts and food in order to raise as much money as they could for Relay.
Theme
Each team was asked to
pick a theme to represent;
the brothers of Phi Kappa
Alpha chose the movie
Monsters, Inc. as their
theme and sold Monster Energy
drinks as their contribution
to Relay.
Other fraternities and sororities participated in Relay for Life, along with other UNCP organizations.
Many other teams sold barbeque, chicken sandwiches and funnel cakes.
There was much done in order to remember and honor those that have battled cancer.
The annual luminary ceremony gave participants a moment to reflect about their loved ones and to honor survivors. The word "hope" was lit along with 100 luminary bags with the names of loved ones which lit the walkway for those walking the track.
"Coming to UNCP Relay for Life is very exciting to me. To see all of the young people working for a cure so no one will have to go through what I have gone through with cancer. It makes me proud that my daughter is a part of such a great thing," Tina Johnson, a breast cancer survivor, said.
Entertainment for those teams staying the night was provided by the Relay for Life event staff.
●Beginning at 10 p.m.
the members of Phi Mu
Alpha and Sigma Alpha
Iota sang.
●11:15 p.m. Quarters
for a Cure.
●12 a.m. the annual
Dodgeball tournament took
place in the main gym between
the members of Phi
Kappa Alpha and the UNCP
Wrestling team with Phi
Kappa Alpha being the
champions for the third year
in a row.
●At 1 a.m. the members
of Zeta Tau Alpha sponsored
a (Miss)ter Relay pageant
and had the contestants
dress as women and collect
money.
●At 2:30 a.m. line
dances took place such as
the "Cupid Shuffle" and the
"Electric Slide."
●3 a.m. a scavenger
hunt took place.
●8 a.m. a bed head contest
took place.
The closing ceremony
took place from 10:30 a.m.
to 11:30 a.m. on April 9.
