Wittenberg University rallied around cancer research by hosting its second annual Relay for Life on Saturday, April 1. The event was sponsored by Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity, and planned by members Lindsey King, 20, and Alyssa Stout, 20.
Sixteen teams participated in the relay, which raised over $7000 for the American Cancer Society. The event kicked off with a performance from Witt Singers, and a lap around the track led by cancer survivors and caretakers. In addition to the relay walk, there were fundraising games, a costume contest and a raffle contest.
King and Stout began planning the event in the fall, and worked to improve from last year. Their focus was to emphasize unity among Wittenberg’s community in the fight against cancer. They did so by changing the way teams were formed so that anyone could participate, and did not have to be a part of an official organization to do so.
King was pleased with the amount of people who participated, and enjoyed seeing everyone relay for the cause. She stated that she enjoyed looking around at all of her friends and classmates who participated, knowing they were all there to support others in their battle with cancer.
“It meant a lot to me, as Relay for Life is an event that my family and I regularly participated in growing up,” she said. “Cancer has taken the lives of a few members of my family, so knowing that I helped put together an event that has the goal of ending cancer altogether made me very proud.”
King is not the only member of Alpha Phi Omega who is a part of a longstanding family tradition of involvement with Relay for Life. The organization’s service vice president Sabrina Davis, ‘18, is responsible for bringing Relay for Life to Wittenberg.
Davis began volunteering with the American Cancer Society when she was in sixth grade. This year, she helped plan the event as an employee of the society. She serves as a student partner and helps lead the division for all Relay for Life events in Ohio. Davis is excited to continue her involvement with the American Cancer Society, and happy to see how it has grown on Wittenberg’s campus.
Marlee McGorray, ‘20, enjoyed participating in the event for the first time.
“My family has been affected by cancer and my grandma is a survivor. I’d happily participate in something that supports cancer research to hopefully end the terrible disease,” she said.
