Relay For Life is an overnight event designed to celebrate cancer survivors and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society. During the event, teams of people take turns walking or running laps. Each team tries to keep at least one team member on the track at all times.
Grand Valley's Relay for Life begins at 6 p.m. on April 7 and runs through 6 a.m. on April 8 at the Cook Carillon Tower on the Allendale Campus. Around 1,200 people have already registered, and up to 2,000 are expected to participate. Last year, 1,500 people participated in the relay.
This is the fifth annual Relay for Life at Grand Valley. The organization has raised a total of $196,000 over the past four years. The event is hosted by Grand Valley State Universitys Cancer Awareness Resistance Education (CARE) student organization.
"This year we tried hard to reach out to the entire Grand Valley community -- not just the students," said Kelly Weir, one of the student organizers of the event. As a result of those efforts, Grand Valley faculty and employees have signed up for the event in greater numbers than in past years.
Before the event begins, there will be a banquet for cancer survivors in the Grand River Room of the Kirkhof Center that will be catered by Carraba's.
The relay kicks off with a victory lap for cancer survivors. Other activities include a battle of the bands, a luminaria ceremony featuring candles lit in honor of cancer survivors and those who have lost the battle.
This is the fifth Relay for Life event that CARE has directed at GVSU through the Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) division of the American Cancer Society. The CAC program allows college students, faculty, and staff to work together to bring American Cancer Society programs and services to college communities nationwide. Relay for Life made its first appearance at GVSU in the winter semester of 2002. In the first year of this event, $24,000 was raised with the involvement of 34 teams. Since that time, the Grand Valley Relay has raised a total of $191,000. Last years Relay was the largest yet, raising $78,000 with participants from 65 teams. This years goal is to raise $100,000 and involve 100 teams.
People wishing to participate can show up and register on the day of the event. For more information, visit: www.acsevents.org/relay/mi/gvsu.
