Sanmai Gbandi | Round Up Photographer
By Madison Adams
Reporter
Baylor Relay For Life will host their annual 12 hour event this week themed “Compete to Beat Cancer.”
This year’s relay will feature a sports theme throughout the festivities in the form of tournaments and challenges from 7 p.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Saturday on Fountain Mall.
Relay For Life is an event where communities unite to celebrate cancer survivors, remember loved ones who were lost to cancer and fight back against the disease that has taken the lives of many and directly or indirectly affected almost every individual.
Dickenson senior Kelsey Stein said the sports games will keep everyone active and make for an event full of fun and action.
“We will have dodgeball, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball and even a FIFA video game tournament,” Stein said.
The 43 teams and nearly 500 participants will be able to buy one of the Relay For Life white tank tops for $10 before and during the event. Alpha Phi Omega will host a tie-dye booth where participants will be able to dye their tank tops.
Baylor’s Relay For Life event will look similar to other relay events and will include an opening ceremony, survivor lap, caregiver lap, luminaria ceremony and a closing ceremony.
According to the The Relay For Life website, the survivor lap is a time to celebrate the victory individuals have had over cancer. The luminaria ceremony is a time to remember people who have lost their lives to cancer, to support people who have cancer and to honor people who have fought cancer in the past. According to the website, the power of this ceremony lies in providing an opportunity for people to work through grief and find hope.
Baylor’s Relay will also feature a Pie-a-Prof booth, a Mr. Relay competition, a donut eating contest, Zumba and a movie. In addition, students will be able bid on silent auction items, including two different test prep packages. There will be a Princeton Review test prep package valued at $1,250 and a Kaplan test prep package valued at $2,000 in an auction.
“Participants will be able to save a bunch of money on test prep that almost everyone in college could use and the money will all go straight back to raising money for Relay,” Stein said.
Beaumont senior Stephanie Parks, who is involved with planning and organizing the event, has been involved with Relay For Life for a number of years now and has witnessed the support that the American Cancer Society provides to families.
“I have been involved with Relay since high school,” Parks said. “My grandfather died of cancer and the American Cancer Society provided resources and support for our family during that trying time.”
