The fourth annual American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life attracted hundreds of runners and walkers on Saturday to the Cary Street Field.
There were 48 teams and 436 people registered, which raised $12,998.16 for the cause. The fundraising will continue until July 2009 and the estimated total is $29,000, based on last year’s earnings. The three event co-chairs, Laura Elkovich, Jaleesa Mayo and Jung Kim, organized the event with the help of student adviser Scott Beasley, faculty adviser John Butt and ACS sponsor Sharon Pierce. Pierce was the first contact who worked with Beasley, who was attempting to bring Relay for Life to VCU.
“It’s great to see the students do a great job,” Pierce said. “They’re dedicated and they have a strong passion to help.”
Various student organizations and other teams from the Richmond community set up booths to continue raising funds. Teams sold food, henna tattoos and some conducted games to raise money.
During the relay, teams are to have one or several members taking shifts walking the track for the duration of the event.
Relay for Life is primarily a fundraising event, which requires participating teams to raise funds before and during the day of the event. Many of the student organizations on campus choose to get involved, but Relay for Life is open to the entire Richmond
community.
The student organization that oversees Relay for Life was recently inducted as a part of the program commission, which benefits the fundraising efforts because VCU covers the expenses for the actual event. The proceeds then go directly to ACS.
Relay for Life came to VCU in 2005 with the help of former student Beasley. The relay has raised nearly $100,000 at VCU since the first year. Beasley said the Relay for Life group at VCU has increased since VCU became involved.
“Once we made the connection with VCU, it’s grown leaps and bounds,” Beasley said. “We started out barely a student organization on campus and now we’re a part of one of the main student organizations.”
According to Kim, Relay for Life attracts all kinds of volunteers from the VCU and Richmond community each year.
“Everyone has given the helping hand to make this a success and help us continue to do this,” Kim said. “You don’t have to be directly affected by cancer to want to make a difference.”
In addition to fundraising, Relay for Life at VCU is an event focused on raising cancer awareness. The student organization is now supported by VCU’s University Student Commons and Activities and plans to continue to coordinate the annual charity event.