On Feb. 28, five Geneseo students joined about 60 other active Relay for Life participants at the Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School for the annual Relay for Life Regional Conference.
The conference was primarily concentrated on "dividing everyone into groups that focused on a unique committee of relay, so the different relays were able to bounce ideas off of one another," said junior Marissa Evarts, Geneseo's Colleges Against Cancer Relay for Life co-chair.
According to Evarts, the seminar featured multiple presentations and addresses by several speakers, including general introductions and conclusions by American Cancer Society representatives.
"The conference was a real success and I would strongly encourage any member of CAC to attend one," said Evarts. "It is a great way to become inspired to fight-back and definitely provides some helpful hints."
Senior Amanda Flannery, president of Geneseo CAC, said that because of the respect and reputation they have earned for its relay efforts, students from Geneseo lead a discussion on ceremony planning.
"For the past two years, Geneseo has received a national award for the amount of money raised per capita," said Evarts. "Though this year's relay will only be the fourth hosted at Geneseo, receiving a national award for the past two years really says a lot about the commitment Geneseo students have made toward fighting cancer."
According to Evarts, "Relay for Life is the single biggest student-run event and fundraiser on Geneseo's campus." This year, CAC set the relay goal at $80,000 - an increase of $7,000 from what was raised last year.
As of March 9, this year's relay has raised $15,778, an amount slightly higher than what was raised by around this time last year. "With the poor economy this year we were concerned that we might not do as well, so the same amount of money is wonderful," Flannery said.
Last Wednesday, CAC held this year's initial Relay team captains' meeting, which saw a turnout of about 40 team captains who listened while Flannery and other CAC representatives reviewed basic relay logistics and discussed fundraising.
This year's prize to be raffled off among top fundraisers, which was revealed at the captains' meeting, is an autographed Wayne Gretzky jersey. "Those who raise over $600 will get one raffle ticket," explained Flannery. "Those who raise $800 will get five tickets, and participants who raise over $1000 will receive 10 tickets."
At the group's weekly meeting on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the fireside lounge of the Union, CAC voiced concern of the lack of participation by college faculty. Junior Bethan Maher, CAC relay chair said, "we need more professors to contribute."