WHAT IS RELAY FOR LIFE?

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It is a unique event that offers communities an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Relays are 12 to 24 hours in length and go overnight. Teams of eight to 15 people camp out at a local high school, college, park, or fairground and take turns walking, jogging, or running around a track or path.

Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because Relay For Life is a community gathering rather than an athletic event, anyone can participate. Much of the time at the event is spent listening to music, camping out, participating in a wide variety of family appropriate and cancer awareness activities, and spending time with friends, family, and complete strangers.

Survivors are honored through special activities during the event and by participating in a survivors lap that usually occurs at the start of the event. After dark, a luminaria ceremony is held where candles are lit in honor or in remembrance of those who have been touched by cancer. This is a time that truly highlights the importance of defeating this disease.

Money is raised through team commitment fees, team and individual fundraising, and sponsorship. Each participant is expected to raise a minimum of $100.

Relay is also a venue for interactive education and information delivery. Participants learn about the American Cancer Society, its programs, and ways to prevent cancer.

The UW event is planned and executed entirely by the UW Relay For Life committee members and volunteer students. Most participants have some affiliation with the university, though the event is open to the community.

Began in 2003 on a cold and rainy March weekend; raised $55,000 in its first year.

In November 2004, UW was recognized at the Relay For Life National Youth Leadership Summit as one of the top ten colleges nationwide in online fundraising.

During the 2007 Relay Season:

• #1 College Relay in the Great West Division
• #6 College Relay per Capita
• #6 College Relay Online
• #6 College Relay In the Nation
• 2,233 participants
• $250,305 raised in the fight against cancer; $175,296 raised online.
• Only the 8th college Relay in the nation to raise more than $250K in a year
• 164 Teams – Largest Relay in Washington State
• $1,526 average per team.
• National All American Award Winner
• 2007 Pacesetter Award
• Top Funraisers
  1. Danielle Barash – $7,900 — Lander Two
  2. Danielle Chun – $5,015 — Anthony Liu
  3. Craig Simmons – $3,360 — UW Chi Psi
• Top Teams
  1. Beta Theta Pi – $12,085 (first $10,000+ student team)
  2. School of Pharmacy – $9,480
  3. Lander Two – $9,055

During the 2006 Relay Season:

• #1 College Relay in the Great West Division
• #3 College Relay per Capita
• #4 College Relay Online
• #5 College Relay In the Nation
• 2200 participants
• $209,134 raised in the fight against cancer; $144,611 raised online.
• 148 Teams; $1,242 average per team.

Accomplishments during the 2005 Relay Season:

• #1 College Relay in the Great West Division
• #4 College Relay in the Nation
• #1 On line College Fundraiser
• 85% fundraising increase over 2004
• 1700 participants
• $185,000 raised for the fight against cancer; $123,000 raised on line
• Two members from the UW Relay Committee were selected to serve on the 12 member Relay For Life Great West Division Youth Task Force.

WE SAVE LIVES

• The American Cancer Society is the largest nonprofit funder of cancer research funds; $130 million in cancer research is raised each year, investing more than $2.7 billion since 1946.
• Society researchers helped to increase the overall five-year cancer survival rate from only 25 percent in the 1940s to nearly 64 percent today. There are more than nine million cancer survivors in the U.S.
• In the past, our researchers not only dramatically increased the cure rate for most childhood leukemias to more than 80 percent, but also established the link between cancer and smoking.
• Today’s cancer researchers are poised to make great advances. They are working on gene therapy, targeted drugs designed to attack cancer at its genetic roots, and cancer vaccines.
• The Society has a proven record of identifying the most promising research. Altogether, 35 ACS researchers have gone on to win the Nobel Prize.
• Cancer research, no matter where it is carried out, benefits us all, wherever we live.

WE ARE A RESPECTED PRESENCE IN COMMUNITIES

• The American Cancer Society is, along with a patient’s personal physician, the most trusted source of cancer information.
• Society education programs promote cancer prevention and early detection.
• The American Cancer Society offers patient support services in local communities throughout the Great West.
• We speak out on cancer issues through education and raising public awareness.

WE ARE POWERED BY VOLUNTEERS

• The Great West Division is led by a volunteer Board of Directors.
• Road to RecoverySM volunteers provided rides to treatment for Great West patients.
• American Cancer Society volunteers staff resource centers in hospitals and treatment centers. Each month, they provide support and assistance to visitors seeking information and local services
• Reach to Recovery® volunteers visited breast cancer patients.
• Volunteers work tirelessly to fund the mission through special events such as galas, Daffodil Days®, Relay For Life, and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer®.

In May 1985, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a colorectal surgeon and avid runner, took the first step of his 24-hour run around a track in Tacoma, WA. Throughout the day and night, 300 of Dr. Klatt’s friends, family, and patients paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. After 24 hours of running around the University of Puget Sound’s Baker Stadium track, Dr. Klatt had run 83 miles and raised $27,000 for the American Cancer Society.

The following year, 220 supporters on 19 teams joined Dr. Klatt in the overnight event held at the Stadium Bowl in Tacoma, WA and raised $33,000. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life was born.

Since 1985 the "Relay fever" has spread to more than 4,200 communities in the United States and to 12 foreign countries. What began as one man’s statement in the fight against cancer has led to the development of a worldwide event to eliminate cancer.

Colleges are taking up the fight against cancer through the creation of more than 50 Colleges Against Cancer (CAC) chapters around the country. CAC chapters focus on cancer awareness and prevention programs on their campuses. While CAC members usually participate in the campus Relay, many campuses with a CAC chapter do not have a Relay on their campus.

With more than two million dedicated volunteers nationwide, the American Cancer Society has made great progress in the fight against cancer – progress directly impacted by the fundraising power of Relay For Life.

The money raised has played a key role in Society accomplishments:

• Awarding more than $2.7 billion in grants for promising cancer research since 1946
• Funding 35 Nobel Prize-winning researchers
• Investing in studies that led to discoveries like the Pap test, bone marrow transplants, Tamoxifen, and Gleevec
• Supplying valuable resources to anyone, anytime, through our toll-free information line, 1-800-ACS-2345, and Web site, www.cancer.org
• Working with legislators to make sure that cancer issues are addressed in a timely manner with the attention and funding they need
• Campaigning for important legislative victories like the Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act and expanded Medicare benefits for cancer screenings
• Offering patients support and a network of other cancer survivors in their communities
• Providing tools and programs, such as Look Good…Feel Better, for patients and survivors dealing with the physical effects of the disease

Your contributions are the reason the American Cancer Society has been able to do so much in the fight against this disease. Your continued support will help us achieve our ambitious goals for the year 2015: preventing almost five million additional deaths from cancer, avoiding six million new cancer diagnoses, and measurably improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with cancer.

For more detailed information on how your contributions are utilized, please visit www.cancer.org's donation index by clicking here.

Q: What if I can't make it to a team captain meeting?

A: While we encourage all Team Captains to come to as many meetings as possible, we understand that many people are busy. If you can't make a meeting, do your best to have another member from your team attend. We recommend having a Co-Captain. If no one from your team can come, check your e-mail the following day, as we will send out meeting recaps after every Team Captain meeting. Feel free to e-mail us at acsuw@u.washington.edu with any questions, suggestions or concerns.

Q: How many people can I have on my team?

A: There is no limit. In the past, teams have ranged from 4 to 65 people. The registration fee is $10 per person, excluding team captains and cancer survivors. Note that the registration fee counts towards your fundraising goal.

Q: What is Convio?

A: Convio is the name of the online registration system. We also have our own site at uwrelay.org. Important dates and meeting times will be on the uwrelay.org site. Fundraising totals and email tools are listed on the Convio site. Check both regularly to keep up to date with the Relay.

Q: How do I register my team online?

• Go here or follow the link on the home page.
• Click on the "Sign Up" button
• Accept the agreement/waiver
• Select "Start a team" to form a new team, or "Join a team" to join a team that has already formed.
• Captains: Put in your team name and fundraising goal (we recommend $150 x number of people)
• Fill out the personal information
• Fees: select the option that applies to you. You can pay your registration fee online. If you would rather pay in person or have already registered by paper, select the "pre-registered option"
• Finish filling in the required fields, and you are all set.
• E-mail all your potential team members, tell them your team name, and have them go to the same site. When they register, instead of starting a new team, they can select the "Join a team" option. They too can select pre-registered if they want to pay in person or if the Team Captain is collecting all the dues. However, we recommend every participant pay the $10 registration fee online.

E-mail acsuw@u.washington.edu with any questions.

Q: Do I have to register my team online?

A: No, but we highly recommend it. One of the benefits of being registered online is that people can donate to you directly through the secure website. You can also track your fundraising easily, and there are tools to help fundraise once you register. Our goal is to have everyone registered online.

Q: If I get another team to register, do I still have to pay my registration fee?

A: No. If you get another team to register, your registration fee is waived. If you are registering online, select the pre-registered option. Then e-mail us at acsuw@u.washington.edu to tell us the name of the team or the team captain that you got to register. You can also inform us at the next Team Captain meeting.

Q: What does the registration fee cover?

A: The registration fee covers the cost of the t-shirt, as well as other expenses for the Relay For Life. The registration fee also counts toward your fundraising total.

Q: What do I do with check or cash donations?

A: You can send any check donations to Chris Aversano at:

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
UW RELAY – CHRIS AVERSANO
728 13th ST SW SUITE 101
EVERETT, WA 98024

Also, check and cash donations can be turned in at Team Captain's meetings in the fundraising envelopes that your Team Captain should have. You can also leave fundraising envelopes in our box in the SAO office on the second floor of the HUB. If you decide to do this, please email us at acsuw@u.washington.edu before you do so that we can make sure that we pick it up as soon as possible.

Q: What is the best way to start fundraising?

A: Send letters to family and friends. Make it your goal to send a letter to 20 different people asking for $10 to $20 per person. If you register online, there is an e-mail service from the website with already made templates, so you can e-mail all your friends, and they can donate to you directly through the website with credit cards or visa check cards. With every letter or e-mail you send out, mention that for a recommended $10 donation, luminaries can be made to honor and remember loved ones. There is a luminaria form on the Kintera website, and a customized one will be coming shortly to www.uwrelay.org

Q: How can I get more info about any of the ideas presented here?

A: Send an email to Shama, Melissa, or the ACSUW account for more details or assistance in setting up a fundraiser.

Q: Can our team fundraise on campus?

A: Yes, any team participating in Relay For Life has permission to fundraise on campus. The Resource Center has tents and tables that you can use to fundraise outside of the HUB. Please let us know about your event in advance so that we can reserve those for you.

Q: Where do we get hope wristbands to sell as a fundraiser?

A: You can contact Shama, Melissa or ACSUW to get wristbands. We’ll sell them to you for as much as we paid for them (35¢ ea., $14 for a bag of 40) and any profits you make will go towards your team’s fundraising goal.

Q: How can teams fundraise online?

A: Once your team has registered, it will have a team website and each member will have his or her very own personal web page. Here, teams and individuals can e-mail friends and family to solicit donations, donations can be made directly via credit card to an individual participant, and you can easily track your fundraising progress.

Q: How can we promote our fundraisers?

A: Your team can use our website www.uwrelay.org to promote your event. Just send an e-mail to acsuw@u.washington.edu, and all the details will be posted. Also, you can send out information about your events to our participant e-mail lists.

Q: Do I need any special permits to sell food at the relay?

A: Chris Aversano, our American Cancer Society Staff Partner, has a food-handlers license. As long as Chris is present when you are selling the food in Husky Stadium, you will not need any permits. If your team is interested in this option, please let the Planning Committee know acsuw@u.washington.edu as soon as possible so that we can plan for Chris to be with you.

Q: How much money does each participant have to raise?

A: There is no minimum amount that each participant is required to raise. However, if each person who participates raises $200, we will easily surpass our $325,000 goal.