Author: Leanne Zabala
On April 4, Occidental College will be hosting Relay for Life on Patterson Field, involving students, staff and faculty in the fight against cancer.
In preparation for the Relay, Oxy’s Relay Committee organized Paint the Campus Purple, a week-long event designed to encourage registration.
From Feb. 9-13 students on the Relay Committee sat at a booth in the Quad, answering questions about the Relay and encouraging students to form teams and participate.
At the end of the week the team registration fee went up from $50 to $150. “We were trying to get teams to register before the fee goes up because then no one will want to pay,” Entertainment organizer Jennifer Lara (sophomore) said.
Relay for Life is held once a year by the American Cancer Society to raise money for cancer research, patient services, advocacy and education. Through their Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) program, Relay for Life has spread to college campuses across the United States.
Relay is a 24-hour fundraising event in which teams of individuals take turns walking the track throughout the day and night in honor of those who have and are battling cancer.
Months before this event, each team tries to fundraise as much as possible through donations and other fundraising ideas.
This year’s Relay for Life at Oxy will begin April 4 at 10 a.m., and although it’s a few months away teams have already started preparing. Occidental College has already raised $3,661 with 51 teams consisting of Greek life, campus clubs, sports teams, and residence halls.
“This will be my 4th year being involved with Relay For Life. Last year, we raised over $40,000 for the American Cancer Society and I’m sure we will again this year,” Isha Bhardwaj (sophomore) said. “Relay For Life at Oxy was started just a few years ago so it’s amazing that we have so much support. I love that the whole school is brought together through an important cause and that we have fun doing it.”
Oxy Relay organizers have planned an event full of entertainment including two live band performances, various competitions like Relay Idol (based on American Idol), movies, food and video games set up throughout the night.
“We also plan on showing the movie Crazy, Sexy Cancer, which is a documentary of a woman suffering with cancer who chooses to take a funny, upbeat approach to it,” Lara said.
There will even be prizes, which include a Marc by Marc Jacobs ‘Totally Turnlock Teri’ handbag, a Flow snowboard, four box seat tickets to see the Anaheim Angels, Rachel Pally dresses, a hiking package, $100 Salon Sessions Gift Certificates, and $10 Spitz Gift Cards. For those looking to donate their long hair, Pantene Salon Stylists will be cutting hair at the Relay for Oxy’s second cut-athon.
While the Relay may be fun, participants say that it is nothing without its ceremonies and inspirational stories. For Relay Publicity Chair Renae Cotero (senior), whose grandmother died of lymphoma when Cotero was 12, the Luminaria Ceremony is the highlight of the Relay.
The Luminaria Ceremony is a time where everyone lights their candles to commemorate the victims and survivors of cancer. The Luminarias, decorated paper bags with the names of cancer patients on them, are then lined around the track. After this, placed Luminarias spell the word “HOPE” out in the stands with their lighted candles.
“Relay for Life is a good cause and it also promotes community within Oxy” Relay Food Chair Farah Shirazi (senior) said. Farah’s mother is a cancer survivor and the primary reason she does the Relay.
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