Name: Lindsey Sheppard
Year: Senior
Major: Business & Political Science
Extracurricular Activities: Relay For Life, Goizueta Consulting Club, Gamma Phi Beta, Pi Chi (Sorority Recruitment Counselor)
Tameka: What is Relay for Life?
Lindsey: Relay For Life is the largest philanthropy on Emory’s campus. We have a committee of about 70 students who work year-round to raise funds for the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) cancer research and patient-support programs. At the end of the year, we hold our Main Event, which takes place on campuses and in towns nation-wide.
T: How did you get involved?
L: One of my best friends since preschool is a survivor of pediatric cancer. She got me involved in Relay For Life in high school and I’ve been involved ever since! During my four years with Relay For Life at Emory, I’ve served on the Fundraising and Recruitment committees. This year, Jaque Galinski and I have had a blast working together as co-presidents.
T: Can you tell us about your main event coming up?
L: Our Main Event is on Saturday, April 15th from 5-10pm on McDonough Field. The event will begin with a ceremony celebrating cancer survivors and caregivers. In the evening, we hold a Luminaria Ceremony where we line the field with luminaries in honor of those who have lost their battle with cancer. Throughout the event there will be activities including bubble soccer, a mechanical bull, and a competition between the Emory A Capella groups. There will also be a pizza truck and free catered dinner and waffle dessert bar for event participants. Our event planning committee has put a ton of work into making it a great event for all students and the Emory community!
T: What other events do you guys have during the school year?
L: Our largest events this year included our annual 5K for prostate cancer awareness, a Valentine’s Day Kiss Away Cancer Date Auction, a Bite to Fight Cancer food festival featuring popular restaurants in Atlanta, and Light the Night where sororities and fraternities purchased luminaries to be placed along the Row. In addition to holding fundraisers and events throughout the year, we also spend time at the Hope Lodge on Clairmont Campus. Hope Lodge is an ACS-funded housing option for cancer patients who need to travel far from home for treatment at hospitals like Emory Healthcare. This year we’ve cooked dinner for the residents and hosted events such as a painting class, piano concert and salsa dancing lessons. Going to the Hope Lodge and interacting with residents is one of my favorite parts of Relay.
T: How can students get involved/learn more?
L: Come to our Main Event this Saturday! To register for the event, students can form and join teams on the Relay For Life of Emory University website (www.relayforlife.org/emoryga). Even if you can’t attend the event, registering on a team is a great way to join the fight against cancer. If you’re interested in getting involved in the Relay For Life committee next year, keep a lookout for applications coming out at the end of this semester. Being involved in Relay has been one of the best parts of my Emory experience. I would definitely recommend getting involved!