Celebrate life

JMU’s 2005 Relay for Life event breaks both fund raising and attendance records.

Evin Shoap / senior photographer More than 1,000 people attended this year's Relay for Life, raising more than $163,000.

This year’s Relay for Life was JMU’s highest grossing to date, with over 1,000 people in attendance and more than $163,000 raised.

For the past five years, JMU has been participating in Relay for Life, an event honoring cancer survivors and those lost to cancer while raising money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society.

The Relay was held Saturday at Bridgeforth Stadium and the number of teams registered nearly doubled last year’s, up from 78 to more than 145. Last year, Relay for Life at JMU raised $142,000. JMU has ranked fifth in the nation for raising money online, with more than $70,000.

Junior Harrison Green spoke in honor of his mother at the ceremony and the luminaria lighting held at 9 p.m. in Bridgeforth Stadium spelled out "JMU Cares."

Seniors Bill Williams and Steve Filingeri, co-chairs of Relay for Life, believe that the event has had a big impact in raising awareness of cancer in the JMU community.

"It’s great to see the impact we can make in fighting this disease," Williams said. "Meeting cancer survivors and seeing how much this means to them is one of the most rewarding experiences ever."

Williams and Filingeri have high hopes for next year’s Relay for Life.

"Relay for Life has become a JMU tradition," Filingeri said. Williams said the committee is relatively young and excited about carrying on the tradition of Relay for Life at JMU next year.

Senior Melissa Fodor, team captain for Tau Beta Sigma, said that her organization became involved with Relay for Life to show support for their sisters who have had to deal with cancer.

"You don’t realize how close it is until you see how many people are affected by cancer," Fodor said.

Freshman Ashley Shell, a member of the Kappa Kappa Psi Relay for Life team, feels that being involved in Relay for Life is important because it shows support.

"Relay for Life made me have a greater appreciation for those that have dealt with cancer," she said.