Students will no longer host Relay For Life on campus.
Relay For Life is the official fundraiser of the American Cancer Society run by volunteers across the U.S. and 26 other countries. Each event lasts six to 24 hours. Participants sign up to be on teams and set up themed campsites at the event, where they collect donations in exchange for food, goods, games, or activities. At least one member of each team is supposed to walk on a track at all times to signify that “cancer never sleeps.”
Levi Harrel, associate director of student development, said student affairs officals decided to start OKCU Dance Marathon because the American Cancer Society could not provide staff support or resources to sponsor a Relay event at OCU anymore.
Emily Diaz, acting senior and former Relay For Life event leader, said the event was canceled due to transitions in the Oklahoma City office of the American Cancer Society.
“During transitions, we had a lack of communication with them and did not hear back in a timely manner that allowed us to attempt to put on an event this year,” Diaz said. “Relay takes all year to truly plan and make successful, although some may feel like it gets thrown together.”
American Cancer Society officials are looking to merge smaller Relay events into fewer, larger ones, to make a bigger impact, according to an article in the Stillwater News Press.
Dr. Gordy Klatt, a surgeon in Tacoma, Washington, started Relay For Life. He wanted to raise money for his local American Cancer Society office, so he circled a track for 24 hours, raising $33,000 as others began donating to walk with him, according to cancer.org.
The event caught on, so the American Cancer Society expanded it to other parts of the country and beyond.
OCU officials began hosting the event in 2007 after former President Tom McDaniel was diagnosed with prostate cancer. McDaniel wore a “survivor” ribbon and walked around the quad alongside students.
Alumni Jeff Riles and Ann Michele King coordinated Relay in its first year on campus.
“The first year was really challenging just in terms of getting everyone excited about it, but we had such a phenomenal turnout,” Riles said.
The campus community raised $45,000 during the first event, according to Student Publications archives.
“We definitely exceeded our fundraising goals well within the first year,” Riles said. “I think the feedback from everyone on campus was just a desire to be a part of it.”
Officials hosted the event annually since 2007.
The 2017 Relay committee set a goal to raise $24,000 but fell short, raising about $19,000, according to Student Publications archives.
Alumna Ali Wonderly, former Relay For Life event leader, said Monday that she was not shocked to hear about the event’s end.
“I’m pretty sad about it because I know Relay meant a lot to the OCU community, but I know our participation numbers and fundraising totals were continuously dropping,” she said.
Wonderly joined the Relay committee her freshman year in honor of her extended family members and friends affected by cancer.
“After my aunt passed away from cancer last January, I stood outside of the hospital hugging my dad, and he said to me, ‘this is why Relay is so important,’” she said. “It honestly didn’t matter how many people attended or how much we fundraised. As long as a small difference was made, it was worth it.”
The event has been replaced by Dance Marathon, a nationwide event that allows participants to dance for six hours to raise money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
Alumnus Zack Travers, former Relay chairman and partner development officer for the Children’s Hospital Foundation, said he loved Relay but is excited to see OCU host Dance Marathon.
“Relay is close to my heart and has been for a while, so a part of me is sad to see it go, but the important thing is that the philanthropic power of the campus is being harnessed in a way that everyone can get behind and fight for a healthier tomorrow,” Travers said.
Diaz said she is heartbroken to see Relay go but knows Dance Marathon will be a great replacement.
“I know that our event lead and planning committee would have done an amazing job this year and taken our numbers to a new height, but, sadly, we will not have the opportunity,” she said. “Although the money may not be going to ACS anymore, it is still going toward a great cause and an incredible organization. I think Dance Marathon will be a fresh new event that will bring the campus together, just like Relay did.”
There will still be a Relay event in Oklahoma City this year, though details have not been released. Students may follow the event by emailing alicia.jackson@cancer.org.
Editor’s Note: Zack Travers is the brother of News Editor Zoe Travers. She did not participate in the writing of this story.
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