Phi Theta Kappa Chapters Rally for Relay For Life
Chapters from all across the Society are finding new and creative ways to
raise funds for Relay For Life, to help Phi Theta Kappa meet its challenge
of contributing
$10 million to the American Cancer Society by 2018. Report
your chapter's 2008 Relay For Life results by September 15.
Members
at Lone Star College-North Harris in Texas raised $11,159 for Relay For
Life, through what Chapter President Julie Wolfe described as a "series
of events."
The chapter sponsored a barbecue cookout on campus,
raffled an entertainment basket, including an iPod, all assembled from
donated items; and, with the assistance of chapter alumni, sold t-shirts.
During the Relay event the North Harris chapter members sold
food, brewed Starbucks custom coffee, conducted a poker tournament, sold
t-shirts and bandanas and much more.
"We took donations at any
time from anyone," said Wolfe. The members also took their Relay For Life
campaign international, she said.
"One of the alumni member's
dad is working in Qatar so he held an auction and Relay to benefit our group.
We even had a donation of $1,000 from someone in London who heard about what
we were doing and wanted to help the American Cancer Society."
The
American Cancer Society will continue to benefit from the North Harris
chapter's success. "We are setting our goals even higher for next year,"
Wolfe said.
Chapter members at Elgin Community College in Illinois
also have had amazing success in raising funds for Relay For Life. This year
they collected more than $5,000! Chapter advisor Amybeth Maurer said she
was concerned that donations could slip this year, because the chapter
has hosted the Relay For Life at Elgin for six years.
However,
the chapter collections almost set a record, and Maurer noted that overall
the Elgin Community College Relay has raised almost $300,000 in the past
six years!
Another Illinois chapter, at Kishwaukee College,
participated in their local Relay For Life and raised over $3,000 - and their
use of a boxing theme won them the "Best Decorated Site" award for the second
year in a row.
The event's special guest, cancer survivor, entertainer
and motivational speaker Kevin Sharp, joined the Phi Theta Kappa volunteers
at their cookout following his performance. Sharp received standing ovations
when he spoke and sang at Phi Theta Kappa's 2007 International Convention
in Nashville.
For a change of pace, Phi Theta Kappa members at
Ozarks Technical Community College in Missouri used an "I Love Lucy" theme
for their site, and raised more than $7,100.
"Our campsite theme
was based on the old 'I Love Lucy' show. During the Relay we sold 1950's aprons
and bottles of 'Vitameatavegimins,' as a tribute to one of the all-time
most popular episodes," said advisor Josephine Fritts. Fritts and other
chapter participants dressed as Lucy, Desi, Fred and Ethel during the Relay.
The
Ozarks Tech chapter participated in the Relay silent auction, and also
raised funds prior to the event. "We try to raise funds all year ... we have
already raised $100 towards next year's event, said Fritts.
"The
Relay means a lot to many of us and we work very hard to raise money for the cause,"
said Fritts, echoing the sentiments of Phi Theta Kappa chapters and members
who have united to fight against cancer since 2002, in an International
Service Program partnership with the American Cancer Society.
Information
on finding a Relay in your area, or organizing a new Relay event, is available
on the Relay For Life
website.
