The track at the University of Colorado at Boulder's Potts Field will see a different kind of relay starting June 4, 2004 as more than 30 teams, comprising hundreds of participants, will begin a 15-hour event to raise money for the fight against cancer.
One representative from each team will be on the track at all times, symbolizing the never-ending fight against cancer. Luminaria will circle the track, representing friends and loved ones who have battled the disease.
The American Cancer Society Relay for Life will begin at 6 p.m. on June 4 with a Survivor's Reception and Opening Ceremony, said Erin Frazier of CU-Boulder's Office of Community Relations. The ceremony features a dove release, the event's traditional beginning.
As the teams circle the field through the night, breaks will be scheduled including the annual midnight pizza, sponsored by the Community Relations Office and Black Jack Pizza.
Organizers are hoping the event will set a new fundraising record. "The 2003 event raised more than $90,000 for the fight against cancer and hopes are high that the participating teams will pass the $100,000 mark this year," Frazier said.
Potts Field neighbors began receiving fliers detailing the relay on May 25. Setup will begin at about 10:30 a.m. on June 4. The relay will be complete and the field cleared by noon on June 5.
Participating teams include representatives from CU's Wardenburg Health Center, IBM, the University of Colorado Federal Credit Union, Community First National Bank and Wright-Kingdom Realtors. Additional teams will feature partnerships among other local businesses, as well as friends and family members of cancer patients.
The event is supported in part by donations from the University of Colorado at Boulder Department of Athletics and the CU-Boulder Community Relations Office.
For more information contact Frazier, CU-Boulder Community Relations, at (303) 492-8384 or Liz Smokowski, development director for the Boulder-Broomfield County Unit of the American Cancer Society, at (303) 776-2689.