Relay organizers start fundraising

With two months to go before Relay For Life UNC organizers are coming up with a wealth of other ways for students to raise awareness and money from eating to strutting on the catwalk to yes spooning.

The annual relay event to be held April 3-4 is just one of many similar events held nationwide to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Fundraising chairwoman Megan Sappenfield said UNC's Relay-related fundraising efforts already have made $30000.

As of this weekend 575 participants in 128 teams had registered for the event — triple the number of team members who had signed up by this point last year.

But the event's organizers say that while Relay is the centerpiece of their fundraising campaign" they will be offering plenty of additional chances for the University community to get involved.

""We have some special surprises in store" because we just want people to see how fun Relay is and remember why they do it" Sappenfield said.

The biggest is Relay Rally, which will span the week of Feb. 16. As the last big recruitment push before the Feb. 20 registration deadline, it will serve as an opportunity for volunteers to flood the Pit and dining halls in search of participants.

Relay's leaders also have lined up a blitz of bar and restaurant nights, in which establishments donate their cover charge or a portion of their proceeds for the evening to the cause.

The most recent was a well-attended night at Players on Saturday, said Spencer Busby, the event's organizer.

Other locations include Ben and Jerry's on Feb. 11 and the Library on Feb. 17.

Event Chairwoman Krista Pool said other events are in the works but dates have not been set yet. These events include a fashion show, a battle of a cappella groups and a spoon train — a line of people cuddling.

We're stepping out of our boundaries this year and trying something new"" Pool said of the last — an official attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the Longest Spoon Train, set at 127 by Notre Dame University.

She added that either participants would pay to spoon, or pay a general admission price that would include food, live music and a T-shirt.

But the events are not aimed solely at raising money and registering Relayers. Campus Outreach Chairwoman Lindsey Carpenter said the committee also will sponsor cancer awareness programs, including an outdoor event called Slip" Slap" Slop and Slide"" to educate students on skin cancer prevention.

And because teams also raise funds on their own" many more Relay-related events likely will pop up throughout the next two months.

Students faculty staff and community members can sign up at uncrelay.org.



Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.