Shepherd University will host the twenty first annual Relay for Life of Jefferson County event at the Shepherd University Wellness Center tomorrow.
This event is an overnight participation to raise awareness and money in support of the American Cancer Society. Shepherd has raised over $790,000 in hosting this event since 2003, in representation and research for the people who were lost to cancer, and the individuals still fighting it today.
The event brings together both the university and Shepherdstown, as faculty, sports teams, society groups, and families join to walk/ run to raise money, as well as fundraise with other activities and games.
Shepherd fraternities and sororities are some of the Shepherd groups participating in the event to raise money in recreational ways.
“The team I am on is TAKSET and that’s a partner with TKE (Tau Kappa Epsilon) and AST (Alpha Sigma Tau). Our booth fundraiser is a dunk tank, and I’m currently in charge of making a team packet that has our rules, basically who is doing what activity, lap, and who’s working the tank,” said Shepherd sorority team captain for Alpha Sigma Tau and member of the Event Leadership Team Anna Mooney.
Another sorority getting their leaders and members involved in the event at Shepherd is Tri Sigma.
“I’m looking forward to doing an event like this where we all work as a team and it’s a great cause. I plan on completing my laps with Autumn Crites. We’re trying to show out and dress up for the lap themes,” said Freshman Tri Sigma member Betsy Cushwa.
Different sport’s teams are participating in the event, such as the Shepherd Women’s Soccer team, who is planning to consistently walk and run the course for the majority of the night to raise money as well as setting up a tent of their own.
The goal for Jefferson County this year is to raise $100,000 for the organization. The event will start with a Torch Run along German Street in Shepherdstown, where people line the streets as cancer survivors pass each other torches.
A luminaria will occur after the run, where people can purchase a bag with a candle and light it in honor of someone who has passed from cancer, is currently fighting the disease, or who has overcome it.
There is no RSVP for the event.