This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Quinnipiac Hosts Fourth Annual Relay For Life This Weekend

Relay For Life of Quinnipiac aims to break its own fund raising record this year.

Quinnipiac University will host its fourth annual American Cancer Society Relay For Life event this weekend.

One thousand students and faculty members will gather on April 15 to remember loved ones lost, to celebrate survivors and to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Participants join in teams, and a member of each team must be walking the track at all times during the twenty-four hour event. There are also activities planned throughout the night, including a survivor’s lap, a luminaria ceremony, Zumba, a Mr. Relay pageant and a fried Oreo sale, according to the event website.

This year, Relay For Life of Quinnipiac aims to raise $125,000, a $10,000 increase from the highest amount of money the event has ever raised, according to event co-chair Kelsey Funk, a junior at Quinnipiac. Participants have already raised almost $95,000, Funk said.

In 2008, their inaugural year, Relay For Life of Quinnipiac raised $115,000 and their efforts were recognized on the local and national level with four awards: the Nationwide #1 Rookie Youth Event, Nationwide Top Five Youth Per Capita Colleges, Top 10 Per Capita County #1 in Population Bucket: New Haven, CT County, and New England #1 New Youth Relay.

In 2009 and 2010, Relay For Life of Quinnipiac was recognized again, ranking in the top five per capita for youth events in the New England Division.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a nationwide event that began with the efforts of an individual volunteer. According to their website, the first Relay For Life was in 1985 when a colorectal surgeon in Washington, Dr. Gordy Klatt, raised money for the American Cancer Society by walking and running around a track continuously for 24 hours. Now over 3.5 million people across America and 19 other countries participate in Relay for Life each year.

Some of the money is used for cancer research at institutions in the northeast like Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and the University of Connecticut. According to the Relay for Life website, the rest of the funds allow the New England Division of the American Cancer Society to provide transportation to patients in need, offer information and emotional support to survivors, send 243 children with cancer to a special summer camp, lobby for clean-air laws, advocate for health care legislation and support a 24-hour cancer hotline.

Even though Relay For Life of Quinnipiac is only open to Quinnipiac students, alumni and faculty and registered survivors, donations are accepted from everyone. To make a donation, visit their website or their Facebook page. For more information, email RelayForLife@Quinnipiac.edu.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?