Relay for Life was held on April 12-13.
Photos courtesy of Rachel Prychodko / Special to The Leader
MAGGIE GILROY
Reverb Editor
Colleges Against Cancer is currently planning a thank-you event for all who helped to make Relay for Life a success. The event raised $30,199, and that number is expected to increase after checks from the Student Association come in from events and fundraisers.
“Our event was a huge success,” said co-organizer Amanda Sutter, a junior computer information systems major and co-chair of the April 12-13 event. “We had survivors attend who were students, faculty, Fredonia residents, siblings and parents. Many of them came up to me telling me how much they were enjoying the event.”
Sutter co-chaired the event along with Ellie Brion, a junior education major.
While participants were not required to stay at the event for the entire 12 hours, at one point in the evening there were nearly 500 people at the Relay.
“Our biggest success, in my opinion, was how many people actually stayed throughout the morning,” said Sutter. “Our closing ceremony had 100 people, where in previous years we had at most 30.”
Sutter explained that the one activity that didn’t go according to plan was the Chinese Lantern closing ceremony which had initially been planned to “light the sky with hope” at 3 a.m., but had been postponed due to weather. However, the lanterns will be sent up into the sky at the end of the year/thank-you event. Colleges Against Cancer will announce the date of
the event soon.
Although this year’s event only recently concluded, Sutter will soon be beginning plans for next year’s Relay.
“We are hoping that teams who were new to our event this year will be eager and excited to participate again next year,” said Sutter. “They can expect a fun- filled event, but more importantly an event to honor and remember loved ones.”