Wesley Hall
Relay for Life has been a staple for the Harding community in recent years. The event features an all-night fundraiser put on by the social clubs and organizations with all proceeds from the event going to the American Cancer Society (ACS). Clubs and organizations set up booths Oct. 18-19 on the front lawn to raise money from 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. Most booths keep their prices under $10, and include creative entertainment such as baked goods and games. A popular booth over the past couple of years has been the “Theta Jail.” At the booth, students can pay to have their friends “arrested” by Theta men’s social club, and spend anywhere from one to 30 minutes in “prison”, depending on how much you pay. Another way the event raises money is through online donations in the days leading up to the event.
Relay for Life’s goal this year was to raise $20,000, a mark they exceeded much to the delight of one the co-directors for this year’s event, senior Aja Von Luckner. She said she enjoyed seeing all the students who came out and supported the event. Von Luckner was impressed with how quickly they met the halfway mark during the event.
“All years we’ve done it have been good, but I think this year, at least for me, it happened a lot quicker than I thought,” Von Luckner said. “We hit the halfway mark as soon as the night was starting, and I think that is amazing.”
Junior Hailey McCullough was one of the co-directors for the Zeta Rho women’s social club booth, which hosted a pay-to-play “Just Dance” video game, in conjunction with the TNT men’s social club’s homemade donuts booth. McCullough said she loves the purpose the money is raised for at Relay for Life.
“We are helping to raise money for cancer awareness and to find cancer services for people that are survivors, currently battling cancer, or have loved ones that have battled it,” McCullough said.
Junior Mitch Rohrback was the director for the Beta Omega Chi (BOX) men’s social club’s booth, which served milkshakes and french fries and allowed participants to punch a BOX member with a boxing glove for a price. Rohrback said the silent lap during the event to remember those who are fighting or lost the battle to cancer is reverent and special for him. “It’s a great time of remembrance and honor to the people who are currently struggling with cancer and for people who have lost that fight and have gone home. It’s a great way to honor them, and I really appreciate that we do that every year,” Rohrback said.
