Ellen Roof, Culture & Thought Editor

This year’s ND Relay for Life—Fightin’ Irish, Fightin’ Cancer—will kick-off at the Compton Family Ice Area at 6:00 P.M. on Friday, April 12 and continue through 9 A.M. on Saturday, April 13.  Given South Bend’s turbulent weather, this new location will hopefully increase participation.  “While we’ve enjoyed being in the stadium for several years, we believe moving the event inside will really enhance the experience for everyone and draw a record crowd,” explained Roberta White, Assistant Chair for the Notre Dame Relay for Life committee.

Participants will be kept entertained throughout the evening with various events.  “It is going to be a student-friendly event with many activities, including an open skate, a broomball tournament, live performances by Acousticafe and Pat McKillen, a burrito eating contest, and athletic highlight videos on the jumbotron,” White commented.  In addition, after hours of walking, free food from vendors including Dunkin Donuts, Hacienda, and Jimmy John’s is sure to be well received.

This will be the ninth year Notre Dame has hosted the event on campus.  A major goal for this year’s Relay event is getting members of both the community and campus excited about the event.  “We are very much hoping to include more members of our student body and the greater South Bend community—we want this to be viewed as both a community event and a Notre Dame event,” White noted.

The Relay committee began spreading the word about this year’s Relay with a successful Purple Week.  Purple Week consisted of a series of fundraising and promotion events occurring from February 25 throughout March 1.  This week initiated the push for the “Put Your Feet Up” campaign as purple feet were sold at the Huddle and Reckers.  Additionally, purple hair extensions and manicures were offered for a $10 and $5 donation, respectively.  Even the dining halls promoted Relay by serving purple desserts.

Two of the top-performing teams from the Notre Dame community as far as monetary donations go are UR Walking on Sunshine and Ryan Hall.  UR Walking on Sunshine, comprised of the employees in University Relations, has raised $9,147.06 thus far.  “Whether it is a family member, friend, colleague, or acquaintance, we have all witnessed or experienced the stories of strength and loss that accompany this disease,” White commented. The University Relations team has worked to raise money through several fundraisers, including 10 minute massages offered to Notre Dame faculty and staff for a $10 donation.

Close behind the University Relations team is the woman’s dorm Ryan Hall with $7,645.  Tatum Snyder, a sophomore living in Ryan, is helping the cause as the leader of the Ryan Hall team.  “We set a lofty goal of $16,000 this year, and so far we are about halfway there!” Snyder proudly noted.  Snyder believes this cause is worthy of the entire campus’ attention.  “Cancer affects every single person in some way—we all have a story.  Relay is a way to honor our loved ones and raise money for further research,” she explained.

Snyder appropriately described how Relay for Life “unifies campus under one of the most important and influential causes of our time.”  Theresa Kennedy, a freshman cancer survivor, is this year’s honorary chair.  “Theresa is an inspiration to all of us and this is a chance to get together as a campus and community to celebrate her life, remember those we’ve lost, honor survivors, support caregivers, and raise funds for cancer research to help create a world with more birthdays,” White sincerely stated.

“To date we have raised $850, 483 and this year, with a goal of $850, 483, we hope to surpass the $1 million mark,” explained White.  Thus far, 53 registered teams and 330 participants have raised $65,934.90 for the cause—a tremendous accomplishment. Help support this incredible cause by creating a team or contributing donations to existing teams at http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=48414.

Ellen Roof is a sophomore majoring in business and psychology who hopes she will survive the Holy Half marathon this year. Send her words of support at eroof@nd.edu.