During this year’s Relay for Life, teams of students will take turns walking or running around a track to raise money for cancer research.
The event begins at 6 p.m. tonight and will last until 6 a.m. Saturday in the Markin Family Student Recreation Center.
Each team needs to have at least one representative on the track throughout the length of the event.
However, that doesn’t mean all students who want to participate have to come and stay for the entire time.
“If someone does not want to come for the whole event, they can just drop by and stay for a while,” co-chair of Bradley’s Relay for Life Annie Azriel said. “Donations will be accepted, and food will be sold on site.”
Not only will there be food, but there will also be entertainment during the event.
On the Rocks will perform, at 9 p.m. followed by a speech from University President Joanne Glasser at 10 p.m.
Glasser will be speaking about cancer and how we can fight back against the disease.
The dance group Hipnotiq will perform at 11 p.m., and BBQ Kitten will finish off the entertainment with its own performance at 11:30 p.m.
Any students interested in participating can still register before the event at relayforlifebradleyu.com.
However, all participants are asked to do a little bit of fundraising before the event starts.
“The money made fundraising goes directly to the American Cancer Society so they can use it to help with funding for the rest of their programs,” Azriel said.
Freshman mechanical engineering major Ethan Blank said he thinks Relay for Life is an effective way to raise money for a good cause.
“It’s a well-known program and a lot of people are willing to, donate because they like to donate to programs they’ve heard of before,” he said.
Relay for Life is the American Cancer Society’s most well-known event. Relays are always an overnight event, and can last up to 24 hours. Almost four million people participate in Relay for Life every year.
Freshman business management major Dan Wood said he supports Relay because he had a family member survive the disease.
“As someone who has a cancer survivor in my family, I appreciate people doing something for the sake of cancer survivors and people who have cancer,” she said.
Freshman finance major Ben Sellnow, who is participating in Bradley’s Relay, said he thinks Relay is a good way to help people.
“It’s a really easy way to get involved and feel like you’re making a difference somehow,” he said. “I’ve never tried anything like this before, but it sounds like this will be a lot of fun. I’m excited.”
