Relay for Life was held on March 28 at UTM in the Elam Center, which is an event to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
Many organizations at UTM participated and created booths set up throughout the Elam Center.
The theme of this year’s Relay for Life was “Hollywood,” and all the different organizations set up a booth to incorporate that theme. Many organizations created booths based on movies, television shows, different decades or movie theaters. Also every booth sold prizes, sold food and had games to play where people could go around and buy food or pay to play games and raise money at the same time.
Also at the event was the opportunity to walk around the track upstairs and raise money by walking. There were also luminaires sold that were shown off all around the track and were lit up with cancer patients’ names on them. At the beginning of the event, starting at 6 p.m., Syrena Flowers, who is the Relay for Life executive director for UTM, gave a speech and then the walk was kicked off with cancer survivors making the first lap as people cheered. The second lap was taken by anyone who has taken care of a cancer patient, and then everyone walked a lap with them.
There were games being played that people could stay entertained by and participate and compete in. A couple of DJs were playing music throughout the event to keep the mood upbeat and fun, and also Traveling Max, who is an entertainer, came and did various activities to keep people moving and dancing. He did different dances and games and made everyone feel like a huge group, because we were all there for the same purpose, which was to raise money for cancer.
“I was overwhelmed with the support from UTM students and faculty. We all came together as one big family and supported a great cause. We are waiting on the final total but right now we have hit $24,141,” Flowers said.
