Since cancer never sleeps, neither did over 2,000 UC Davis students this Saturday for 24 hours at the annual Relay for Life.
Held at Aggie Stadium for the first time, UC Davis holds its own with the biggest college campus with participant and fundraising turnout.
Usually held at Toomey Field, event organizers said that the old location was being outgrown due to the large amount of participants and needed to switch to a bigger location, according to an Aggie article published on April 6.
All proceeds go to the American Cancer Society, which helps to “Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back.” cancer. This year, around $100,000 was raised at UC Davis.
Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday till 10 a.m. on Sunday, participants from over 200 teams walked around the “track” of Aggie Stadium, overlooking the field. High winds and cloudy weather didn’t stop high-spirited students from taking turns with their teammates to walk for a cure.
Entertainment throughout the day from a cappella groups such as the Spokes and Liquid Hotplates along with the cast of the upcoming “Hair” performance, a 89-year-old tap dancer survivor named George, and alumnus David Ronconi kept walkers entertained with music and dancing.
At 9 p.m. the Luminaria ceremony brought no dry seats in the house as Relayers gathered around the stage to listen to survivor stories and remember those that lost the battle to cancer. The words “Cure” and “Hope” were spelled out in the bleachers of the stadium with illuminated bags as participants silently walked in a symbolic gesture.
-Text by ANGELA RUGGIERO
-Photo LIAM O’DONNELL
