Relay For Life is a big day at Geneseo. As one of the top colleges in the nation, Geneseo raised over $100,000 in the short amount of time. As organizations gathered around the floor, they all came together for a common cause. President Battles started the festivities off with a speech about how fragile life is, and how her husband's friend was just diagnosed and said that we all should be educated and then be educators to help inform others that cancer does not define us.
Geneseo's Relay is the largest in the Rochester area for fundraising, the top school in New York and in the top 25 schools in the country. As the night progressed, the main speaker announced the top teams who raised over $1,000, which was more than can be counted. The Royal Lady Knights were the third highest fundraisers, raising over $10,000, with Sigma Delta Tau in second with over $12,000, and Sigma Kappa in first beating their record with over $17,000. Sigma Kappa is nationally recognized for raising over $15,000.
Geneseo reached the Celebrate Ceremony, and it was time to congratulate everyone who had survived cancer. Here we heard from survivors and parents of survivors on the difficult journey of recovery. The slideshow played while we all watched and thanked God that those people got to see another birthday. We sang to them in unison for another year that they made it to. Everyone watched as survivors walked the track.
There were multiple student performances including Geneseo Knightline, Ben Spade with his Hula Hoops, Bhangra, and the Irish Step dancing team. There was Zumba, and other student run programs to keep the night alive and fulfilling. The top teams took the ribbon picture in the middle and Mr. and Ms. Relay ran through the crowd collecting over $175.
The Remember Ceremony came to remember all the people we've lost to this terrible disease. When the lights went off people stood up for the people that they relay for. With glow sticks and blue candles, we all stood united as a school.
As midnight approached many people gathered their things to leave, but at 1 a.m. the hair cutting and shaving started. Many people donated their hair, even some last minute. A few girls even shaved their entire heads.
To wrap up a successful night, all festivities ended at 6 a.m. The end of our 12-hour "Celebrate. Remember. Fight Back." As a small school in the middle of upstate (western?) New York, we truly made a difference that will guarantee a future with more birthdays.
I am so proud to be a part of such an amazing place.
