Relay for Life of Tufts University tomorrow will host its kickoff event, marking the beginning of a major registration and fundraising push for the annual American Cancer Society (ACS) benefit.
The kickoff event, which will feature performances by entertainment groups and stories shared by cancer survivors, will take place in Hotung Caf'eacute; from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The kickoff is the main publicity event for Relay for Life, which is now in its eighth year at Tufts, according to junior Tala Kayyali, a member of the organization's publicity committee.
'We're going to have many different laptops out so that people can sign up to join a team or donate,' she said. The sign'minus;up fee is $5 this year, instead of the traditional $10.
Relay events take place in colleges and communities worldwide to raise funds for the ACS, which sponsors cancer research. The participants also aim to raise awareness about the subject and celebrate its survivors.
This year's Relay for Life will be held on the night of April 10 and will go on for twelve hours; college and university Relay events are only twelve hours long, as opposed to some community'minus;wide events that run for a full 24 hours.
Participants form teams to raise funds leading up to Relay for Life, and the teams do a continuous walk for the duration of the event around the indoor track in Gantcher Center.
Over 600 Tufts students raised more than $84,000 at last year's Relay, according to Whitney Downum, ACS community executive for income development, who is overseeing planning for the event. She hopes that this year's effort will see more participation and raise more funds.
'Our goal for this year is $89,000. We also have a goal of getting 65 teams for the event, and we already have twenty, so we're well on our way,' she said.
The Relay for Life movement started in 1985 when Dr. Gordy Klatt ran around a track for 24 hours, single'minus;handedly raising $27,000 for his local ACS chapter.
It has grown to over 5,000 events in the United States each year, with events also taking place in 21 countries worldwide.
