Participants gear up for 6th annual Relay
By Meghan Patrcik, contributing writer
Posted on April 6, 2006

Under the fluorescent lights of Bridgeforth Stadium, participants in JMU’s sixth annual Relay For Life will be walking to fund cancer research on Saturday beginning at 7 p.m.

Last year, the university received the distinction of raising the most money per capita out of all the relays that took place across the country.

“In theory, every one of the 16,000 students here raised $11 [in 2005],” said this year’s Relay For Life co-chair, senior Zach Mercurio. A total of $183,000 was raised at last year’s event.

JMU is already making ground to pass last year’s money mark with 172 teams — 30 more than last year — with eight to 15 people signed up per team. Each team was responsible for collecting its own money, pledging that at least one member of the group will be on the track at all times throughout the 12-hour event.
 
The night will be a mix of work and play with the slogan “Riding the Wave to a Cure,” said Mercurio, who chose a beach theme with his co-chair senior Steve Greco and their 15-person planning committee.

“There will be lots going on,” Mercurio said, including a cappella group performances, seven  bands and UREC classes, including a 4 a.m. aerobics class.

“Buffalo Wild Wings will be sponsoring a wing-eating contest, and it will be taking orders and delivering food to the field where the team tents are going to be set up,” Mercurio said.

“There will also be a Miss Relay Competition where guys dress up as girls and try to win the title.”

According to the American Cancer Foundation’s Web Site, “real stars of the event, the cancer survivors,” will be honored in three ceremonies.

The first will be a survivor’s lap, which will take place at the opening of the event. All of the cancer survivors in attendance walk a lap around the track so they can be honored and cheered for.

“It’s awesome,” Mercurio said, “because everyone is lined up clapping for them and shouting words of encouragement.”

The Luminaria ceremony will follow the lap, which will take place at 9 p.m. A few survivors will speak to the crowd about their experiences with cancer.

Following the sharing, all of the lights in the stadium are turned off, so everyone’s attention can be drawn to paper bags lit up with candles, honoring peoples’ loved ones who have fought the disease.

“Each year the bags are arranged in a surprise message, like ‘JMU Cares’ or “Hope Heals,’” said Mercurio, who himself will not know what this year’s message will be until Saturday.

Mercurio said he thinks the best part of the night is not to mourn, but instead to celebrate life.

Participating in Relay For Life is the best thing that I’ve done in college,” he said. “It’s allowed me and so many other JMU students to think beyond their own campus. It says a lot about the [JMU] body that thousands of students willingly give up having their own fun Saturday nights to serve a cause like this.”