Relay for Life carves for a cure

By JULIANNE KUHN

On a crisp fall afternoon, the smell of apple cider was in the air as Relay for Life hosted their sixth annual “Carving for a Cure” event on Ball Circle.

Students paid a $5 suggested donation to pick out a pumpkin and carve it however they wanted, and there was even a contest awarding Visa gift cards for the top three pumpkins.

The event, which is put on annually, is one of the many events Relay for Life holds each year. This year, “Carving for a Cure” was co-sponsored by Dining Services. Proceeds from each Relay for Life event is used to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Margot Jelinek, a senior biology major and one of the event chairs, discussed why she relays.

“About five years ago, my grandmother was diagnosed with stage four ovarian cancer. She deteriorated very quickly and passed away. She was one of the strongest women I knew.” Margot said. “In addition to that, both of my father’s parents were affected. His father died of lung cancer, and my grandmother died of breast cancer. Cancer is very prominent in my family and it’s a disease that just shouldn’t happen, it shouldn’t be around.”

Margot said she believes that cancer affects everyone in different ways.

“Cancer sucks, that’s the bottom line, that’s why I do it,” Jelinek said. “That’s why I relay.”

This event raised $341 for the American Cancer Society as participants carved over 75 of the 116 pumpkins that were donated by Dining Services and other organizations.

Sophomores Zach Norrbom and Raj Barua were the winners of the $50 Visa gift card prize for their Mother of George Frisbee inspired pumpkin masterpiece.

Next on the Relay for Life agenda for UMW is the Fight Back 5K Fun Run. This event will be this Saturday, Nov. 8 at 8 a.m. Be sure to register via the link on the event’s Facebook page.

Why do you Relay? Tweet #umwRELAY to us @theBlueandGray