Brock Relay for Life (BRL) has been raising money to combat cancer for 14 years, and students can help contribute to the fight at this week’s upcoming events.
BRL is a club that works directly with the Canadian Cancer Society, Canada’s largest national cancer charity. This is the fourteenth year that Brock has had a Relay for Life club, and in that time they have raised over $250,000 to fund cancer research and provide transport and care to those actively struggling with cancer.
There are 9 committee members at BRL, with Grace Savescu and Jessica Tomassi acting as co-chairs. According to Savescu, this committee is “one of the most dedicated groups we have seen.” Many of them have prior experience with Relay for Life events at their high schools or run by the Brock club in previous years, but “it is the love for the cause that brings [them] all together.”
This year, the club’s goal is to fundraise $40,000, and Savescu believes this is more than possible with the help of the students at Brock. BRL holds events throughout the year – in the past they’ve done movie nights and sold homemade candles, among others – and for the week of Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, the club will be holding events every day to fundraise and gain awareness for their final event of the year.
Brock Relay for Life will be tabling in the Mackenzie Chown A-Block hallway from 10 a.m to 4 p.m every day of the week.
On Monday and Friday, the club will be selling anonymous novels with Blind Date with a Book, a book wrapped in paper so the only knowledge the buyer gets is the genre. Proceeds from this event will be donated directly to the Canadian Cancer Society. From Tuesday to Thursday, the club is selling paintings made by a student at Brock. 50 per cent of these proceeds will be donated directly to the Canadian Cancer Society.
Additionally, on Wednesday night from 7:30 p.m to 10 p.m., Brock Relay for Life is holding a Holiday Craft Night. For a donation of $5, students can make crafts for themselves or as gifts for their loved ones and watch The Grinch.
According to Savescu, BRL likes to hold events for a week straight for students’ benefit. Not everyone can stop by on a given day, and knowing they’ll be around for the rest of the week at the same time and place allows students to come when they can. Students also have time to tell their friends or bring them directly if they’re interested in the sale.
Tabling also raises awareness for the club’s final event of the year, the Relay for Life, a twelve-hour overnight event where students can find games, live music and more to keep them entertained and awake. Ceremonies are held here, such as the survivor lap to honour cancer survivors and their fight, and the luminary festival, where participants are encouraged to reflect on what brought them to the event and give respect to those who have passed. The Relay for Life is held in March, but students can show their support and help fundraise by checking out their table this week and attending the Holiday Craft Night.
Support Brock Relay for Life this week by spreading the word and checking out what they have in store. “Students should get involved with Relay for Life because it is a phenomenal cause that needs our support to continue to help those in need,” said Savescu. “They should also get involved because it is a community event that brings people together in a fun and positive way.”
Keep an eye out for more information on the 2024 Relay for Life next term. For more information on this week’s events, visit the club’s ExperienceBU page.