Still trying to decide how to spend your Friday night? At Wellesley’s first Relay for Life you can have fun while supporting a cause (all proceeds from the event will be donated to the American Cancer Society).
The event is particularly close to sophomore Lisa Koplik’s heart. Koplik is the Co-Chair of Team Development for Wellesley’s Relay for Life committee. “My dad having cancer makes it a lot more personal,” Koplik said. “That’s the main reason why I’m on the committee. I just want to do something for him too.” Koplik sat down with us to explain the event and why you should participate on April 22.
Her Campus Wellesley: What is Relay for Life?
Lisa Koplik: Relay for Life is run by the American Cancer Society and it is their largest fundraiser. There is a whole lot of fundraising done by the people who are going to partake in the relay, which is an overnight event. People go to a big space and you have a number of ceremonies, including the opening ceremony, which introduces everybody and introduces the Relay and talks about the goals and what we hoped to accomplish. Then there is a luminaria service, which most people like. It is very heart wrenching and very moving. The lights are all turned off and people’s names are read who have either died or are in the process of having cancer or have survived cancer, and everyone takes a silent lap. Then there is the fight back ceremony in which some fun game like capture the flag is played to show that we are fighting cancer. Then there is a closing ceremony where we thank everyone for coming and say how much money we’ve raised and if we’ve reached our goals. So it is a lot of planning for one night, but it is worth it. We end up raising a lot of money and everyone knows what Relay for Life is because of this event.
HCW: How much money do you plan to raise?
LK: We are trying to raise $50,000. Right now we are at $16,489 and we have 303 participants (as of press time). People can still sign up to attend the event on the night it begins.
HCW: How did you get involved in Relay for Life?
LK: I feel like my dad walked in it a few times at home in Florida and I tagged along and didn’t know what it meant. Then when I went to Philips Exeter they had the relay. I was asked to speak at it because I wrote a really long paper you write in your senior year about my dad, who has cancer. They wanted me to read my speech at the relay so that was when I became really involved. I was a team captain, we did an on-site fundraiser, and I spoke during the luminaria service. It was so much fun and it was for a good cause. Everyone really cares.
HCW: What are you most looking forward to about the event?
LK: I am most looking forward to it actually beginning because I think that I haven’t comprehended that this is real yet. We are planning this all by ourselves. This is the first time it has ever been at Wellesley and we have so much awesome stuff planned. We have three a cappella groups, a giants 18-foot blow-up slide, sumo [wrestling] suits, gladiator jousting, a real band, we have DJs, and we are going to have food. All of this stuff was donated. We did all this and this is actually happening, people are coming and it is just fantastic. I’m just really excited to see it in action and go into the gym and see everything set up and see everyone excited. I’m really excited for that because we actually did it and it happened and it’s real.
HCW: Why do you think it is important for people to participate in the event?
LK: It is important to participate because it is a lot of fun and it is a really good cause. I think that every person has someone in his or her life who has been affected by cancer. It’s just a great way to show your support because everyone comes together to fight it in whatever way they can. Every little bit helps. It is a nice way to bring everyone together and have an actual physical event to plan for, to be excited about, and to participate in.
Wellesley’s Relay for Life will be held in the Field House on April 22. The event starts at 7PM and ends at 7AM on April 23. You can still sign up to participate at the event.