Relay for Life’s 25th annual event in Clark County has students and faculty putting together teams for a cause they believe in.
The event, sponsored by The American Cancer Society, will take place at Henderson’s football field on Friday, April 24 from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. Ouachita groups help make up the 30 teams that will be walking, plus volunteers in other areas.
Each group has personal connections to the event that make being involved more meaningful.
“Joe Franz was the initial champion for Ouachita’s Relay for Life team [10 years ago],” said Chris Babb, external alumni director and co-captain of Ouachita’s faculty team. “Incidentally that same summer, Joe was diagnosed with cancer and our efforts then focused on honoring him as well as others who we knew had been affected one way or another by cancer.”
This year Relay for Life is honoring another Ouachita faculty member for her experience with cancer. Keisha Pittman, director of admissions counseling and the other co-captain, is the honorary cancer survivor and will be sharing her testimony at 8:50 p.m.
Social clubs and organizations around campus have also been putting together teams and volunteering.
Tri Chi and EEE have organized groups to walk in the event.
“I chose Relay for Life [for community service] because of the EEE’s previous involvement and because cancer has greatly affected so many of our girls’ lives,” said junior Kate Shell. “My stepdad, Mark Miller, and grandmother, Carolyn Shell, both passed away due to brain cancer. Many of us are also good friends with [freshman] Lauren Crook and we want to do everything we can to show our support and how much we care by raising money and walking.”
Volunteers are helping run booths and entertain participants. Games sponsored by each team and other performers will make the long night lively, including a “Relay’s Got Talent” show at midnight. Junior Luke Hardcastle will be performing at 10:45 p.m.
“I’m going to be playing my guitar accompanied by my computer/GarageBand for a few original songs and a couple covers,” Hardcastle said. “One of my coaches liked a song I had recorded on my computer, and when he heard about [Relay for Life] needing some extra entertainment he offered me up to play.”
The EEEs have girls involved all around the event.
“We’ll be helping assemble the luminaries, setting up a tent and providing a 4:30 in the morning game,” Shell said. “We also have two girls, Amy Wentz and Nikki Anderson, performing in ‘Relay’s Got Talent.’”
The relay teams have also been raising funds to help support Relay for Life. EEE has raised $500 throughout this semester.
The faculty and staff team ranks third for the most money raised thanks to various fund-raisers and monthly payroll deductions some of their members chose to participate in.
“I think people have been willing to get involved because so many have a friend or family member who has been affected by some type of cancer,” Babb said. “It’s a way that Ouachita as a whole, and individuals who make up the Ouachita team, can honor cancer survivors and victims.”
