A 12-hour party can bring a lot of good to a lot of people in need, as West Chester University students proved at the 11th annual Relay for Life event in the Hollinger Field House on Saturday, April 23, where $41,649 was raised for The American Cancer Society.
Relay for Life, hosted by Colleges Against Cancer, brings together teams of students from throughout the WCU community for a day of fun and fundraising.
“Fundraising for the American Cancer Society is very important. It does some pretty miraculous things,” said Demetrius Woodard, a participant on the Honors Student Association’s team.
This year’s Relay for Life included activities such as raffles and Zumba along with appearances by the WCU Improv Club and Baker Bob.
Although largely set up like a long dance party, the relay was not all fun and games. Students shared in powerful moments of solidarity.
“My favorite activity was the lap of silence in which the lights were turned off and nobody talked and names of people lost to cancer came up on a screen,” said Woodard. “We all felt connected in that silence.”
While students were united in their goal of battling cancer, there was a winner at the end of the day: Alpha Delta Pi, who raised the most money out of the 48 teams registered for the event, contributing $5,140 to the cause.
To learn more about Relay for Life at West Chester University, or to find out how you can participate in next year’s fundraiser, attend a CAC club meeting held on Mondays at 6 p.m. in Sykes 115 or contact club president Corina Abell at CA780262@wcupa.edu.
Bryce Detweiler is a third-year student majoring in communication studies and philosophy. He can be reached at BD846487@wcupa.edu.