Carnegie Mellon hosted its second annual Relay for Life on October 9 and 10 in Gesling Stadium. With the registration fees and individual fundraising efforts of the 38 pre-registered teams from Carnegie Mellon and the local Pittsburgh community, Relay for Life raised almost $9,000 for the American Cancer Society. Together with fundraising events at Relay for Life itself, luminaria sales, and corporate sponsorships, Relay for Life raised approximately $21,000. The American Cancer Society uses money from Relays for Life to continue work with cancer research and treatment.

CFA sophomore Scott Smith organized both this year and last year's Relays for Life.

"I noticed that they raised a lot of money for a good cause," Smith said of the Relay for Life held at Syracuse University, from which he is a transfer student. "I actually didn't do the event at Syracuse, and I thought, 'dang, I wish I had,' so I thought, 'why not do one here [at Carnegie Mellon]?'"

Relay for Life participants were asked to keep at least one member of their team on Gesling's track for all 16 hours of the relay, which began at 4 p.m. on Saturday and concluded at 8 a.m. on Sunday. Although Relay for Life is done in the spirit of charity, organizers foster competition between teams to keep participants motivated through the night. One example is the way that organizers encouraged participants to complete laps around the track: for every lap, participants received a paper clip, for three paper clips a sticker, for three stickers a necklace, and for three necklaces a keychain.

To remind participants of their mission at Relay for Life, there were two events to honor cancer victims and survivors. At the start of the event, participants who were once cancer patients were asked to take a special "survivor lap" while other participants cheered them on. Once the sun had set, participants set up a luminaria display. These candles-in-white-bags were lit completely around the Gesling track, and were also positioned to spell out "HOPE" in the stadium seats.

In addition to these more somber events, there were also games and performances throughout the evening. Games included a dodgeball tournament, hula-hoop contest, and glow-in-the-dark limbo. The Kiltie Band, Scotch'n'Soda, and Counterpoint all performed at Relay for Life. A DJ also played a wide variety of music.

Although 38 teams registered originally, fewer actually came.

"Some of them may have decided not to come due to the inclement weather," said MCS junior Amanda Gonzalez, the second student-organizer for Carnegie Mellon's Relay for Life. Though the weather did clear up by Saturday evening, in the afternoon it was rainy and cold.

"We're trying to keep warm," said Mary Anne Tegethoff-Kurtz with a smile. "Plastic really helps."

Tegethoff-Kurtz was a member of Team Tegethoff Woodchucks, one of the many Relay for Life teams formed from those in the local Pittsburgh community. Team Tegethoff Woodchucks was organized in honor of the grandfather of the family, who died of cancer. The Tegethoffs were better prepared, with a large tent and plenty of food, than most of the student teams for the suboptimal weather.

"We don't need a tent because we're rough and tough," joked HSS senior Morgan Macdermott, who was part of Navy ROTC's 28-person team. Their tent required stakes, which were not allowed on Gesling's Astroturf. Other student organizations, including Lambda Sigma and the Asian Christian Fellowship, were also involved with Relay for Life.

Dormitories, including Donner and Small Oakland Houses, also submitted teams.

"We have awesome team captains who recruited people from the floor," explained SHS first-year Lauren Krogh, who was one of 25 persons from the fifth floor of New House to participate in Relay for Life.

"You mean banged on doors and yelled at people," joked SHS first-year Theresa Myers, one of the team captains.

Despite the poor weather conditions, Relay for Life was a success for the second year in a row. By benefiting the American Cancer Society, cancer research and treatment will continue to progress, thanks in part to the Carnegie Mellon community.

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