Relay for Life gathers Rider community

By Sofia Santiago

White petals, carried by a refreshing breeze, rained over the Campus Mall. The sun warmed the various tables and field games set up on the grass. Music played over the two large speakers set up at the end of the Campus Mall and members of various on-campus organizations gathered on blankets on the grass or played catch with their friends.

This picturesque scene was the reality of the annual Relay for Life event, hosted on April 18, during which social and academic organizations across campus convened to raise money and awareness for cancer and its research.

Relay for Life is part of the American Cancer Society’s program of fundraising events, and the sector at Rider is one of the many across the country. This year, the event’s primary organizers and co-chairs were senior accounting major PJ McCall and senior arts and entertainment industries management major Mekhia Gwynn.

Planning for the event started in the beginning of the semester, and Gwynn shared that she and McCall “… worked so hard. We had long nights, early mornings and busy days. I think our passion for Relay for Life, and then just being locked in with each other, really pushed for it, and our perseverance definitely made way.”

However, before finalizing any of their plans, they had to be greenlit by a liaison from the American Cancer Society. Students volunteered to help the fun-filled day flow smoothly by setting up the tables, games and food. The itinerary of the main event started at 2 p.m. with registration. To be able to participate in the general event, each student donated $25 and organizations donated $5 to participate in the sponsorship lap, where groups circled the Campus Mall for the cause. If students had individually signed up before a certain date, they were offered a purple shirt at registration.

Since Relay for Life is considered a competition, each organization was registered as a team and would be crowned the winner if they donated the largest amount throughout the afternoon. Participants were able to track the team standings and how much had been raised through the American Cancer Society’s app and Rider’s Relay for Life website.

This year’s theme was Disney, and every organization interpreted it in a different way. Some took the theme literally, such as Club Badminton with their setup being turned into a dining table and cooking station, with members dressed up as chefs and an inflatable rat costume portraying the film “Ratatouille.” Rider Pep Band represented the movie “Cars” with flags and stripes, Bonner Community Leaders portrayed “Toy Story” with toys and costumes, Delta Phi Epsilon was “Hannah Montana” and Alpha Phi Omega was “Monsters University.” 

Victoria Mazzara, a junior graphic design major and member of APO, commented, “Getting to pick a theme and roll with it is one of my favorite parts. [Our table is] cute, … They really let you be creative, and as a graphic design major, I love that.”

She also expressed that the event held a larger significance for her and for many others.

“Cancer affects many people globally. Even if you’re not personally tied to it, I think it’s just good to support a cause that doesn’t have a full cure yet,” Mazzara said.

Victoria Annunziata, a junior accounting major and a member of Delta Sigma Pi, shared her personal connection to the event, as this marked her eighth time participating in a Relay for Life and her third time doing it at Rider.

“This is an event and organization I’ve supported since I was about 11. Being able to go into college and have that same vision and alignment has been really a pleasure, and to be able to see other people experience it is truly amazing,” Annunziata said.

Although most teams were Rider organizations, one was from the greater Lawrenceville community: the Always Strong & Courageous team, led by Yolanda Gramajo, a cancer survivor and Lawrenceville resident. 

After a surgery last spring, doctors discovered that she had cancer. This came as a surprise for her, since there was no history in her family. She went through rounds of chemotherapy for six months, and is still going to the hospital for checkups every three months. 

“Looking at all the ladies in the hospital with me, I was like, ‘I have to do something. I have to.’ Because when cancer knocks at your door, you pay attention,” Gramajo said.

She discovered Relay for Life at Rider through the American Cancer Society’s website while searching for events near her. The Always Strong & Courageous team consisted of Gramajo and her children, and they raised around $1,600 prior to the event. 

As a first-time participant, Gramajo expressed her excitement and her hope that the event will be promoted to the community outside of Rider to get them involved.

At 2:30 p.m., the main activities kicked off with organizations completing a Sponsorship Lap around the Campus Mall to a song of their choosing. While each team took their lap, the others enjoyed the warm spring day on the grass, socializing with friends.

“Last year it was sadly inside, so it was a little bit of a different vibe. But I’m so happy we’re back out in the sun, getting to walk around again,” said Leah Miller, a junior musical theater major and Vice President of Recruitment of Zeta Tau Alpha.

“I think [Relay for Life] unites the community together. Sometimes it’s hard, and you feel separate from each group, but this really helps us all support one cause,” Miller said.

The afternoon continued well into the evening with a relay race, a pie eating contest, tug of war, a scavenger hunt, a pizza party and a fashion show. The co-chairs announced during the closing ceremony that $11,819 were raised in total, with Sigma Phi Epsilon winning, raising close to $3,500 for the cause.

Annunziata emphasized the importance of an event like this, saying, “You never know someone else’s experiences and what they’ve been through. I think [Relay for Life] is a time to reflect that we might have all had a similar shared experience, and we can all come together and support the same issue and fight against cancer.”