Sophomore Aaron West, junior Megan Read, senior Laneigh Pfalser and junior Tyler Jones take everything in stride as they represent Sigma Phi Mu on their lap around the front lawn. Women's club Sigma Phi Mu raised money for Relay for Life by painting faces. Janae Callicoat SERVE CLUBS COME TOGETHER FOR A CAUSE S ervice projects constituted a crucial part of club activity, and Relay for Life was an opportunity for social clubs to financially contribute to cancer research. The overnight fundraising walk raised a total of $15,701. Many clubs worked individually or in groups to organize fundraisers and to set up booths at Relay for Life on Oct. 11. Chi Omega Pi service director sophomore Paige Ried said that working with another club provided more resources and increased involvement. Chi Omega Pi and Omega Phi together offered a petting booth with kittens, a raffle to pie Dr. Bruce Mclarty in the face, and baked goods. Teams were responsible for organizing their themes and booth offerings. Group themes had to fit the overall fairytale theme selected by the Relay for Life executive committee. Team leaders were in charge of assuring their teams complied with campus rules, including curfew. An event of such a large scale presented some challenges. Omega Phi service director senior Chris Meyer said that one of the challenges as a team leader was getting people involved. People were enthusiastic about the idea but slow to commit their time; however, the gravity of the event helped recruit students. "Once you put it in the terms of everyone being affected by cancer in some way, it's pretty easy to get people involved," Meyer said. A significant part of the work involved conducting fundraisers before the evening of Relay for Life. Omega Pi offered a parents' night out at College Church of Christ where parents paid $10 per child for an evening of babysitting. The team had to find a location, prepare advertisements and get approval from the deans for the evening. Activities offered at club booths provided a way to continuously raise money for the cause. Clubs offered baked goods, refreshments, rock climbing, face painting and other activities. The executive committee organized a crazy costume contest. Costumes included Snow White, Captain Nemo, a bag of fruit snacks and someone wearing roller blades and a cape. The evening was also a time for students to seriously contemplate the purpose of the fundraiser. Junior Matthew Woodson, co-executive on the Relay for Life committee, had participated in the event since he was a toddler. Woodson's favorite part was the lighting of the luminaries to remember victims and survivors of cancer. "All of the candles will be lit around the walking track," Woodson said. "That's one of those goose bump moments." The luminaries were a reminder that all of the fun was centered on a larger purpose. Students went to Relay for Life to have fun, but more importantly they went there to spread hope. "I relay for my grandfather, a five-time cancer survivor," Woodson said. "I relay for the man who can't afford to drive to the hospital for his treatments. I relay for the woman who has lost everything that makes her feel beautiful, and for The executive committee dictated most of what the little girl who sits with no hair but still puts happened during the event, but each team was on on a smile." its own for prior fundraising. Omega Phi and Chi Shelby Moore 57
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