Southeast Missouri State University student publication

Colleges Against Cancer to host Relay for Life fundraiser walk at Southeast

Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Gamma Sigma Sigma is in the lead with the most money raised for this year's Relay for Life at $2,500. The event will be from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday. Submitted photo

Students at Southeast Missouri State University come together every year to raise money for cancer research at Relay for Life.

Colleges Against Cancer will host this year's Relay for Life: Carnival of Hope from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on Friday at the Rosengarten Athletic Complex. The event will feature games, food and inflatables. All of the money raised will be donated to the American Cancer Society to help find a cure. The event centers around the relay walk, where team members take turns walking for 12 hours to show support and raise awareness for cancer. Participants also light luminarias dedicated to loved ones fighting cancer and those who lost their battles against the disease. Everyone is encouraged to attend regardless of whether they have signed up for a specific team.

This year, the Relay for Life executive board made several changes to the event. Laci Marr, a board member and National Residence Hall Honorary team leader, said that planning for this year's event began earlier than ever.

"This year we began planning from the very start of last semester. We chose a date within the first few weeks of the fall semester, and from there we began looking for a location for the event," Marr said. "We were able to reserve the practice football fields within a few weeks."

Representatives from the popular app YikYak will be joining the event this year. They will be on campus from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday in front of Kent Library, and also at the event starting at 6 p.m. to help with promotions and fundraising.

Also new this year, rather than listing prices for food and activities in cash, participants will pay in tickets.

"We chose to use a ticket system as currency, so that we can keep the money in one secure location. As an exec board, we felt this was safer and easier for everyone," Marr said.

Like so many others, Marr first got involved in Colleges Against Cancer and Relay for Life to support a loved one.

"Currently, my grandma is fighting an eight-year-and-counting battle. She was given a timeline for her life in 2009 when her Thyroid cancer metastasized to her lungs, and she has fought a long and hard battle ever since," Marr said. "I joined Colleges Against Cancer so that I could help plan Relay For Life and, in a way, fight with my grandma and also honor her while she courageously fights her battle."

Organizations from all areas of campus have formed teams, including Greek organizations, the psychology department, the agriculture department, Student Activities Council, NRHH, service organizations and campus ministries.

The Gamma Sigma Sigma team is currently in the lead for fundraising with more than $2,500 dollars raised. Team co-captains Kristin Funderburk and Beth Copeland said they are amazed by the support they have seen from their team.

"I could not be more proud of my team," Copeland said. "I feel like every time I pull up our relay fundraising page, Kristin and I have to change our goal."

"Our original goal was $1,000," Funderburk said. "I'm super proud to say that as of April 21, we've raised $2,500 through the support of family and friends, inter-chapter events and community fundraisers."

Funderburk was inspired to help support Relay for Life for her uncle, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma just before she was born.

"He fought it on and off for the majority of my life, and unfortunately lost his battle back in fall of 2013," Funderburk said. "I relay for people like him, the fighters that can't fight back anymore, so that their spirit is a part of our journey."

Copeland also shared a similar motivation.

"I got involved with Relay for Life to help find a cure," Copeland said. "Cancer sucks and takes away lives too soon. Personally cancer has taken my mom and my grandma too soon."

Christina Thomas, team leader of Psyched for a Cure from the psychology department, said that part of her team's goal is to raise awareness as well as funds.

"We want to ensure that people are aware of the event and the cause itself," Thomas said. "Slowly but steadily we are spreading awareness. One more person that we can reach is one more person that can make a difference. I look forward to seeing not only the psychology department but the entire university support this great cause."

As a whole, Colleges Against Cancer hopes to raise $11,000 through Relay for Life, and so far they have raised over $7,000 with the help of 25 teams and 180 registered participants.

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