Over the weekend, Grace Hall was transformed with baseball-themed decor and activities, like a radar-speed pitch station, scattered throughout the venue.
But the occasion wasn’t a sporting event. It was Colleges Against Cancer at Lehigh’s 20th annual Relay for Life, with a theme of “Striking Out Cancer.”
The event on March 21 brought together students, faculty and campus organizations for a night of vibrant performances, games and remembrance. It raised more than $31,560 for cancer research and the American Cancer Society, an organization dedicated to ending cancer.
Emma Moriarty, ‘25, co-president of Lehigh’s Colleges Against Cancer, said the club began preparing for the event during the fall semester by securing vendors, reserving Grace Hall and reaching out to local sponsors.
“This is an all-year effort,” Moriarty said. “Relay (for Life) is the culmination of everything we work toward.”
She also said the club picks its theme each year by voting at its general meetings, and the goal is to bring people together in an engaging way while supporting an important cause.
Students on the club’s sponsorship team spent months contacting businesses, both local and national. Poppi, a prebiotic soda company, donated cans for the event, and other contributions came from electrolyte brand LMNT, the Lehigh Bookstore and other businesses.
Moriarty also said she felt a personal connection to the cause, as she lost her mother to cancer when she was 14 years old. She joined Colleges Against Cancer as a first-year student and has been on the executive board for the last three years.
“This club hits close to home for a lot of us, so we know how much raising money for cancer research means,” Moriarty said.
Moriarty said fundraising totals from past Relay for Life events have surpassed $100,000, particularly before the COVID pandemic, when Greek life had a larger presence on campus. Despite this, she said the club is proud of what it’s accomplished, and she’s hopeful it’ll raise even more than Friday’s total through post-event donations and restaurant fundraisers.
“Every dollar counts,” Moriarty said.
Throughout the evening, students honored loved ones affected by cancer by writing their names on luminaria bags, handing out glow sticks, reading poems and conducting a walk around the track in Grace Hall dedicated to remembering those who people lost.
The event also included a Survivorship Ceremony, during which Mary Kay Baker, a faculty advisor to the club and a cancer survivor, gave a speech.
“As a survivor, I feel strongly that it is our job to give back,” Baker said in her speech. “I also want to be sure that my grandchildren, Liam and Emma, who are here tonight, live in a cancer-free world.”
Baker also said when it comes to fundraising, she often reminds people cancer hasn’t been cured yet, and their next dollar may be the one that does just that.
The entertainment lineup for the night featured Lehigh’s Dance Team, the Melismatics, the Echoes and the Marching 97. Attendees participated in a range of activities, from karaoke and Zumba to watching a magician and balloon artist work the crowd.
The club also hosted a Quiz game about cancer facts, with a free Taylor Gym membership awarded to the winner.
For some students, a connection to the cause came through friendships.
Haley Chamberlain, ‘28, a member of the Kappa Delta sorority, said she volunteered for the event because Moriarty is her mentor through Lehigh’s Mentor Collective.
“This fundraiser is really important to her, and therefore it’s important to me,” Chamberlain said. “Emma (Moriarty) has been a role model in my life since I got here, and I wanted to support her and this cause in any way I could.”
Chamberlain said although no one in her immediate family has battled cancer, she has witnessed the toll it’s taken on family and friends.
She also said she thinks it’s rare for someone to be completely untouched by cancer.
“That’s what makes this event so meaningful,” Chamberlain said. “It’s something so many people can relate to. You really feel that sense of community here.”
Alex Cavin, ‘26, captain of the Lehigh Dance Team, performed with her team during the event. She said in past years, she attended Relay for Life with her sorority and wanted the dance team to get involved to show its support for the cause.
Cavin said one of the most memorable moments of the night was during the event’s opening lap, when everyone in the room joined together to walk around Grace Hall.
“It was a great way to kick off the night,” she said. “It reminded everyone that while this is a fun event, it’s also about something bigger.”
The event concluded with a basket giveaway, featuring prizes from local donors. For students 21 and older, the night continued at F&A Grog House, a restaurant and bar on East Third Street, with a celebratory after party from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Moriarty said this event could not have happened without Colleges Against Cancer’s faculty advisors and executive team.
She also said the club is always welcoming new members and hosts smaller events and fundraisers leading up to Relay for Life year-round, all aimed to achieve its mission of creating “a world with more birthdays.”
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