Relay for Life this weekend

Teams of Grand Valley students will gather on the football practice field near Lubbers Stadium from 6 p.m. Saturday through 9 a.m. Sunday, April 14 for a 12-hour relay against cancer. Relay for Life is a family and friend-oriented team event where participants can walk or run relay-style around the track and take part in fun activities off the track.

This is the first Relay for Life on the Grand Valley campus and organized entirely by Grand Valley students. At least 30 teams of Grand Valley students and associates have registered, guaranteeing an event of at least 300 attendees representing numerous clubs, organizations, and groups of friends. Beginning at 6 p.m., bands will play and a dance is scheduled for the participants. The relay itself begins at 9 p.m.

Funds raised by Relay for Life will enable the American Cancer Society to support local services for cancer patients and their families such as Reach to Recovery, a peer-to-peer support program for women with breast cancer and I Can Hope, a series of classes to educate those touched by cancer. Funds have also supported critical cancer research and community education programs designed to teach people how to reduce their risk of developing cancer.