A human bingo contest an ‘80s dance party and a competition with N.C. State to see who can shave the most heads in a minute are part of the agenda for this year's Relay for Life which starts today at Fetzer Field.
The UNC chapter of Relay for Life the American Cancer Society's annual fundraiser has already raised about $155000 this year. That is almost $30"000 more than the organization raised last year.
""Though we do not set goals for ourselves because we only want to build upon the past year's results" we couldn't be happier with the huge amount of participation we've seen this year" chairwoman Krista Pool said.
During the event, teams station themselves on Fetzer Field for 20 hours while at least one team member walks around the Irwin Belk Track.
The fundraising increase came from almost 2,000 participants who signed up for a team this year, the most in the event's history, said Justin Singer, event co-chairman.
We've tried to be really proactive in getting the Relay name out there" and we have encouraged teams to do independent fundraising in the community which has really paid off" he said.
The Relay chairmen said promoting and fundraising early in the year could have caused this year's monumental involvement.
Last year, 1,300 students participated in the event.
Once a few get excited and tell their friends" it catches on and more people have wanted to participate" said Cassie Smith, team recruitment chairwoman.
So far, 189 teams have signed up for the event, which starts at 6 p.m. and runs through Saturday afternoon.
This project is so much more than a one-day thing"" Pool said. We started planning last May and have been holding fundraisers and charity nights for months to get the word out.""
Pool said Relay's only goal this year was to make sure every person on campus knew what Relay for Life was.
""People wonder if this is a 5K or ask if they have to run" and we have been trying to break misconceptions" Singer said. The relay does not require running.
To keep participants awake, the organizers have entertainment planned throughout the night, including a Luminaria Ceremony of Hope to honor those who have had cancer.
It's a really interactive and fun way to raise money for a great cause" which is why so many students become involved in things like Relay" said Ajsela Pestalic, a social committee member.
Despite the fun atmosphere of the overnight event — there is not a quiet spot in the night's lineup — the important thing is to remember the true reason for the event.
Cancer is something that affects everyone" and we just want to do our small part in fighting this continuous battle" Pool said.
ATTEND THE EVENT
Time: 6 p.m. today
Location: Fetzer Field
Info: www.uncrelay.org
Contact the University Editor at udesk@unc.edu.
