More than 400 participants on 37 teams attended Friday’s American Red Cross Relay for Life at Walter Fieldhouse.
Walter Fieldhouse was buzzing with energy Friday night for this year’s American Cancer Society Relay For Life. More than 400 people on 37 teams gathered on the track throughout the night for the 12-hour event, said Breanna Seevers, a Relay for Life committee member.
Vice President for Student Affairs Ryan Lombardi, whose two older brothers are cancer survivors, gave opening remarks before the walk commenced.
“We walk for those whose lives were impacted by cancer, who have survived cancer, who have lost their battle with cancer,” Lombardi said. “You walk for them, and I could not thank you enough for doing so.”
The event has raised almost $15,000, according to the event’s website.
To start the walk, cancer survivors were welcomed to the track first, followed by caregivers and then teams in alphabetical order.
Many of the teams had tables lining the track with everything from popcorn to “pie an archer” games and a paper plane-throwing contest. Attendees paid for tickets to partake in games, the proceeds of which went to the American Cancer Society.
Many student organizations had teams at the relay, including Ohio University Swimming and Diving team. Elizabeth Murphy, captain of their relay team, said that the group wanted to find ways to get more involved in the community.
“A lot of us did these relays in high school, so we were already interested,” Murphy said.
Alpha Phi Omega, a coed service fraternity, organized the luminaries at the relay and also hosts the Survivor’s Dinner that takes place prior to the relay.
“We’re really involved in the relay already, and we like to get our whole chapter involved,” said Morgan Sommers, co-captain of Alpha Phi Omega’s relay team.
Co-president of OU’s Relay for Life Alyssa Bandsuh have yet to reach a goal they set of raising an additional $10,000, but they still have a few more months to raise the money.
“We have the $25,000 goal, but we have until August to hit it,” Bandsuh said.
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