Jack Kirk

jkirk@mavs.coloradomesa.edu

Imagine groups of people walking around the Academic Quad in front of Houston Hall all night, nonstop. This is what Relay for Life will look like April 27. Teams gather to walk around in support of the fight against cancer, and though events occasionally pull people away from walking, the teams stay strong with at least one person from every team walking the entire night.

“Everyone experiences all-nighters. Instead of staying up for school, I thought it was a fun, simple  way to raise money for cancer,” Taylor Loo, team member of the Ho`omanao I Ke Ola team, said. “It’s a better way to spend your Saturday night instead of partying.”

Loo participated in the Relay for Life last year, the first time she had heard about it, and will participate again in the upcoming event.

“If these people fought cancer, the least I can do in their honor is walk,” Loo said.

On top of walking, many teams sold food, candy or small trinkets to help raise money for their team.

“We had a booth that sold popcorn and baked goods,” Loo said.

Another team that is making a reappearance is team Fun Suckers. Last year, the team sold a plastic trinket that walkers would add beads to in order to count how many laps they walked. They will be selling the lap beads again this year.

“This year, we are making hats and shirts for the team,” Brianna DuRocher, team captain for the Fun Suckers, said. “We are going to have our slogan, ‘Sucking the fun out of college, one party at a time,’ on it. We might dye the shirts or order them in random colors. I’m not sure yet.”

Many teams make shirts or other ways to identify their members as a form of team pride. Shirts are the most common, but hats and shoes have also been used.

“It’s a different perspective as being a team member than a community member,” DuRocher said. “Creating the team gave me an opportunity to invite people that otherwise I don’t think would participate.”

Teams are created for a variety of reasons. Most teams are created in memory of someone who passed away, or for someone who is currently fighting cancer or has fought cancer in the past.

“My friend, Becky, a cancer survivor, created the team,” Loo said.

However, some teams are just created to have fun at the event.

“We are a team of RA’s. It’s going to be a lot of fun,” DuRocher said.

Team Fun Suckers currently is one of the largest teams registered with nine members. Registration for the teams will not close until the Relay for Life starts.

“We only have four people registered, but last year we had about twenty walk,” Loo said.