Farmer School students Jeff Pritchett and Kristin Conatti, co-chairs of Miami University's Relay for Life.
What event combines physical activity, teamwork, and entertainment, and generates large amounts of money and mud?
It’s Miami University’s Relay for Life, one of 4,800 such events nationwide that bring together those who have been touched by cancer in an effort to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society. This year’s event, held April 4-5 at Cook Field, drew 800 people. Student organizations, Greek organizations, dorm corridors, groups of friends, faculty and staff members, and students from nearby high schools formed teams to participate.
Farmer School students Kristin Conatti and Jeff Pritchett co-chaired the event, serving as liaison between the American Cancer Society and the Miami volunteers. For months, the two worked closely with seven subcommittees whose responsibilities ranged from arranging for equipment to promoting the Relay for Life. Their challenge, said Conatti and Pritchett, was to maintain the necessary structure and schedule while encouraging creative freedom among the volunteers.
Pritchett was overwhelmed at students’ potential to make a difference, and by the energy and dedication the Relay volunteers brought to the project. “So many students on our committee constantly amazed me with what they could accomplish,” he said.
Conatti, a senior marketing major, has participated in Relay for Life since her freshman year at Miami. “Unfortunately, cancer is a word which has been spoken too often in my family,” she said, explaining that her mother lost her battle with breast cancer in 2000 and her grandmother is a breast cancer survivor.
Pritchett, a senior supply chain and operations management major, has been a member of On Campus for Cancer Awareness since his sophomore year. His involvement was spurred by personal experience as well, as his father was diagnosed with cancer when Pritchett was in high school, and his sister has had a malignant tumor removed.
“My family’s story shows that the advances in cancer research are paying off and making a huge difference not only for cancer patients, but for their friends and families as well,” he said.
To date, the Miami event has raised $50,000. Donations will be accepted until August 31, 2008. To contribute, contact the project at murelay@gmail.com. Contributions can also be made online or by sending cash/check payable to the American Cancer Society to: American Cancer Society, 2808 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH 45206.
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