With a Dr. Seuss theme, this year’s Relay for Life will honor the author who was a victim of throat cancer.
Photo courtesy of Melissa Rechin / Photo Editor.
MAGGIE GILROY
Reverb Editor
A sea of purple will flood the campus this week in anticipation of the kick off for Colleges Against Cancer’s annual Relay for Life event on Saturday.
A variety of special purple themed events will take place in the week leading to Relay for Life in honor of the group’s “paint the campus purple” week. Friday will feature “paint Cranston purple,” where purple treats, including purple cauliflower, will be served. Sign-ups and donations will be accepted and a gift basket will be raffled off as well.
Several spots on campus are currently decorated in the American Cancer Society’s signature shade of purple including a banner that was hung on Tuesday over the bridge between McEwen Hall and the William’s Center.
This years’ Relay for Life event is Dr. Seuss themed in honor of the beloved children’s book author who died of throat cancer at the age of 91 in 1991. The opening ceremony will pay tribute to Seuss and also honor Tanner Jubert, a junior theatre arts major and this years’ honorary survivor. Jubert was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of two and battled the disease until he went into remission at the age of six.
In accordance with the theme, this years’ slogan is “We meant what we said and we said what we meant we’ll finish the fight 100 percent.”
New activities for the event include a photo booth, different gifts for the survivors and caregivers, different and bigger baskets for the basket raffle and bigger prizes. Healthier food options will be available as well.
In addition, popular activities including the Chinese lantern ceremony will take place.
Amanda Sutter, a junior computer information systems major is co-chairing the event with Ellie Brion, a junior education major. It is currently Sutter’s second year chairing Relay for Life, and she has seen improvements between the two years she has spearheaded this event.
There is currently more student involvement, with over 400 student groups signed up to participate in the Relay in comparison to the 240 groups that signed up last year. The event will take place one week sooner than last years’ Relay. The event currently has $18,000 raised in comparison to $12,000 raised last year.
“I think more and more people are realizing how prevalent this is and how prevalent cancer is in this world and that’s why they’re trying to give back as much as they can,” said Sutter. “It’s going pretty well.”
Relay for Life will kick off Saturday, April 12 at 4 p.m. and end Sunday, April 13 at 4 a.m. The opening ceremony will begin at 5 p.m. with the closing ceremony beginning at about 2:30 a.m. The event will take place in Steele Hall; Colleges Against Cancer will continue taking registration at the door.
“It’s an event where the campus comes together as a whole,” said Sutter, “and really shows the family that Fredonia is.”