The Dimple was set up with a registration area, paper bag lanterns and different activities as Wheaton College’s Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) club hosted its 14th Relay for Life on April 23. The American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life event allows communities to gather together to honor cancer survivors, remember loved ones lost and fight back against the disease.
Rebecca Smith ’17, president of CAC said, “Each year, more than four million people in over 20 countries take part in this global phenomenon and raise much-needed funds and awareness to save lives from cancer.”
According to the American Center Society’s website, each Relay for Event is special and unique depending on the community participating in the event. Wheaton’s Relay of 2016 raised a gross profit of over $15,000 and was attended by 233 students, faculty and staff.
The six-hour event started at 4:00 p.m. had two guest speakers, Chemistry Professor, Hilary Guadet ’09, who discussed her grant from the American Cancer Society and Nicole Canella ’96, who spoke about her book “Leaving a Mark.” There were also student performances by the Wheatones, Cheerleaders, S.O.L.E and V.U.J.
Other activities included inflatables, a green screen photo booth, caricature artists, Zumba, Public Safety’s fundraiser Jail Bail, a social media contest and a Red Carpet Relay in Balfour afterwards. Relay participants enjoyed a meal halfway through the event which was made possible by food donations from local restaurants such as Peacock Catering, Apna Punjab, Alberto’s, Mandarin, Fiesta, Papa Ginos, Mangia and Bangkok Cafe.
CAC worked very hard to plan and fundraise for Relay for Life, as they have done since 2003. Members of the club’s executive board were Smith, Kaitlyn Solano ’16 (Senior Advisor), Mehreen Khan ’17 (Vice President) and Emily Reynolds ’18 (Event Lead), along with a committee of seven others.
CAC asked everyone who attended the event to make a small, personal donation of $10 as a registration fee, but also as an act of philanthropy.Every dollar Wheaton fundraised will go towards life-saving cancer research, education, patient services and advocacy.