Written by Emily Stinnett // Photo by Madison Meyer
Harding University broke its fundraising record for cancer research through the Relay for Life event on Oct. 14 with a grand total of $39,124.59. The previous record was $26,057.47 in 2018. Students with clubs and organizations set up tents on the Front Lawn and stayed out all night raising money for the American Cancer Society through Harding’s chapter of Relay for Life.
A week before Relay for Life, the committee expected students and donors to raise about $9,000-$10,000 and then planned to reach the goal of $20,000 during the night-long portion of Relay for Life. However, they met the goal of $20,000 a day before the event and continued to raise about twice that on the day of Relay for Life.
One of the co-directors of the event, senior Mason Adams, said the committee did not expect the student body to demolish the goal. He said he was afraid that the numbers would slow down by the time the goal was met the day before the event happened.
“At the same time I knew that we were on such a roll that we just kept our foot on the gas, and I knew that we were going to go into the night, and we were going to work our hearts out, we were going to give all we had,” Adams said.
He said he did not expect to exceed the goal by almost twice the amount and was grateful to everyone for showing up and supporting and to his committee for the help.
Junior Eli Smith was on the entertainment committee for Relay for Life. His personal connection to cancer has inspired him to be a part of Relay at Harding, as it has impacted several of his family members over the last few years.
“Knowing the impact that [the money] was going to have for so many people, like we were thrilled to raise $20,000, but to raise almost double that, that’s that many more people we’re going to be able to help with that money,” Smith said.
College of Business professor Rich Brown participated in the survivor walk at the start of the Relay for Life event. He and his wife are both cancer survivors and have walked in more than 10 survivor walks in Searcy.
“When I go to that, when I go to Relay for Life, it just reminds me that I’m lucky to be here,” Brown said.
Women’s social club Zeta Rho raised the most money through the team competition with about $6,121. women’s social club Ju Go Ju placed second, and women’s social club Delta Gamma Rho placed third.
Adams said he would love for everybody to be a part of Relay for Life in the next few years.
“It’s a wonderful experience to actually impact the world,” Adams said
