Relay for Life at NSU will commence the 2015 fundraising season with a celebratory kick-off event on Nov. 5 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Don Taft University Center Pit.
Relay for Life is an annual 12, 18, or 24 hour event sponsored by the American Cancer Society that raises money toward prevention, treatment and curing of cancer. Teams and individuals camp out overnight at the event’s location and take turns walking around the designated laps.
Relay for Life Event Leader Alix Tucci, senior business administration and finance major, said, “The goal is to have somebody from each team walking on the track at all times to symbolize everybody’s fight through cancer. They don’t get a break, so neither should we.”
Tucci said that the kick-off is like a pep rally for Relay for Life, which will take place April 11 to 12. Complementary food from Pizza Loft and Flashback Diner will be provided and there will be giveaways, a performance by the Riff Tides, a silent auction and activities throughout the kick-off.
Experience Lead Chair for NSU’s Relay for Life Reya Hossain, junior psychology major, said that last year’s event was not as successful as they had hoped, so the planning committee has utilized that experience to make this year’s kick-off better.
The Relay for Life at NSU planning committee will be available to provide more information to teams and individuals on what Relay for Life is and how to fundraise for the American Cancer Society. This year’s theme will also be announced at the event, which was selected based on what the committee believes students will enjoy. The fundraising and promotional events leading up to the relay in April will be centered on the theme.
Hossain has been a part of Relay for Life at NSU since her freshman year and said that she has seen it grow tremendously.
“Getting to know the structure of how planning everything works and getting to be behind the scenes is definitely an experience I’ve enjoyed having,” she said. “Our committee reaches out to not just NSU, but the rest of the community because there’s always that confusion that Relay for Life is just an NSU event when it’s actually open to everyone.”
This year’s planning committee is hoping that they will surpass their fundraising goal of $35,000. Last year, they collected more than $30,000. They are also aiming to be more community-centered and get more community members involved with Relay.
“We’re hoping to get the community more involved, not just with Relay itself, but with the kick-off as well because NSU is so closely tied with the community,” Tucci said.
Hossain said that Relay for Life is different from other fundraisers because it is a year-long process that raises money and awareness, while creating a bond between the people involved, despite any background differences.
“We don’t just raise the money until we meet our goal; we make more of a personal development around the community,” she said.
People can participate as part of a team or as individuals. Computers will be available for those who wish to sign-up for a team, although it is not required to participate. Tucci said many student organizations start teams, so the kick-off is a good way for students to start thinking about what their teams want to do to prepare for the relay.
“A lot of teams won’t register until February or March and then they won’t meet their fundraising goals or don’t have enough time to be as involved as they would like to be, so this kind of gives them a jump start on what they would usually do,” Tucci said.
For information on the kick-off, contact Hossain at rh892@nova.edu or Tucci at at716@nova.edu. For more information on Relay for Life, visit relayforlife.org.
