Springfield, Ohio — Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear purple T-shirts.
More than 150 Wittenberg students became heroes fighting against cancer on Sunday, March 20, during the Relay for Life event that took place at the Earl F. Morris Track at Edwards-Maurer Field.
Wittenberg’s chapter of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity teamed up with Relay For Life to host the event, which raised nearly $7,000. The proceeds for all Relay for Life events are donated to the American Cancer Society, which spreads funds among many facets of support including research, treatment and programs such as Road to Recovery, Hope Lodge and Look Good Feel Better.
Fraternity Vice President Sabrina Davis, a class of 2018 biochemistry and molecular biology major from Upper Arlington, Ohio, spearheaded a committee of nine fellow fraternity members that began planning last summer.
During the event, three ceremonies took place that focused on the key aspects of Relay for Life: Celebrate, Remember and Fight Back. The Celebrate Ceremony encouraged participants and survivors to celebrate what they have overcome. The Remember Ceremony allowed participants to reflect on and honor those they have lost to the disease, and the Fight Back Ceremony inspired participants to take action against the disease. The event also included performances from campus a cappella groups, The Wittmen Crew and Just Eve, as well as a limbo contest and games of musical chairs.
“My favorite part of the event was having people come up to me and tell me how much they enjoyed the event,” Davis said. “Most people really didn't know what to expect coming to the event, so I was excited to know everyone was having fun!”
This year’s relay, which took place over a five-hour span from noon-5 p.m., served as a trial run for Wittenberg. Members of Alpha Phi Omega hope to make the event an overnight experience in the future.
“Over the next few years, we want to continue to make our event longer, eventually reaching the length of a full event,” Davis said. “We would also like to continue to increase the number of participants and money raised.”
