While there may be less than a month left until Relay for Life, the opportunity for Longwood students to sign up is still ever-present. On March 21 at 6 p.m., Longwood students attended the third Relay Rally this year in the Lankford Student Union, and were informed of new incentives, prizes and opportunities available for participants. Shawn Smith, event co-chair and logistics chair of the Relay for Life committee, informed students that to be eligible for a campsite, Relay for Life teams must have at least 18 members. He noted that it would be possible, though difficult, to sign up for two campsites as long as the team contains at least 20 or 30 members. The appropriate form to sign up for a campsite is due April 4, the same date as the next Relay Rally event. Staff partner of the American Cancer Society Toni Herrmann said, "All participants that register the month of March and pay their $10 registration fee will be entered to win a Canopy Tent and a Relay Survival Kit." Other incentives include a Relay for Life baseball hat for team captains who pay their $10 commitment fee, a Relay for Life sip 'n go tumbler for each team that sends out 212 emails through the Relay website and a Relay for Life travel tote and team captain lapel for each team that sells 12 luminaria bags. One additional prize includes a Nook that is given by drawing to any student who raises at least $200. Relay for Life teams that raised over $1,000 by March 25 will be listed on the back of the Relay for Life 2012 T-shirt. The teams will include Alpha Chi Sigma, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta, Cormier Honors College, Delta Zeta Sorority, Lucky Number 7, Sigma Sigma Sigma, Team Illumination, The Cunning Hams, Theta Chi and Zeta Chi Alpha Save the Ta-Ta's. Additionally, American Cancer Society Grassroots Manager Ann Vaughan spoke of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN), a non-profit advocacy organization that works to eliminate cancer as a major health problem by supporting legislative solutions and communicating with elected officials and candidates. "We help them [cancer survivors and caregivers] put their stories in front of legislators so that they will pass policies and budget positions with that in mind," said Vaughan. One example of what issues the ACS CAN faces includes, "People who need chemotherapy ... get it through an IV, and a lot of pharmaceutical companies are now creating a form that you can take in a pill. If you live in a rural area, that's huge because you don't have to travel to go get your chemo. "Problem is insurance companies are charging huge amounts of money for that pill if you don't take the IV. We've got a bill passed this year that will make it the same cost," said Vaughan, later adding, "Governor McDonnell still hasn't signed that bill. He very well may choose to veto that bill or just let it go." Reaching 100 ACS CAN members with a $10 commitment fee per member, Longwood University became the first Collegiate We CAN Club event in Virginia. Being a part of the We CAN Club event, the Relay for Life Committee and this year's Relay for Life event will receive recognition in the Regional "Connections" newsletter, the division publication of "Hope" magazine and will receive other benefits as well. The first Relay Rally of the year on Jan. 25 began with over 100 participants, over 20 teams and over $4,000 raised for Relay for Life. This most recent Relay Rally reported over 675 participants, 60 teams and over $30,000 raised. To obtain further information on Relay for Life, go to the Relay for Life website or to the Longwood Relay for Life Facebook page. If in need of help, the Relay for Life Committee at Longwood University is available to assist students. Relay for Life listings of teams, participants and total raised donations are also available online.
