Putnam County Relay for Life kicked off on Tuesday with a student and community gathering in the UB Ballroom. The evening event was the second that day, following the initial community kickoff bright and early that morning at the Putnam Inn.
The kickoff provided the public with a basic overview of policy and procedure information for the main event, which will take place Saturday, Apr. 21 – Sunday, Apr. 22.
"A big reason that we host the kick off event is so we can explain to people exactly what donations are about and explain where their money is going," said senior Danielle Boyd, one of the Relay for Life coordinators. "We want to show people what Relay is really about."
This year's relay, "Fighting Cancer All Year Long," will have a holiday theme.
"We are really excited about the theme for this year," said senior Katherine Butler, another Relay for Life coordinator. "Since holidays is such a broad theme people will really be able to get creative with it and have fun."
Along with the new theme, this year there will now be a prize offered for the five students who raise the most money. The winners will get to take a limo to a dinner in Indianapolis with President Brian Casey. Each of the five winners will be able to bring one friend.
"Our goal this year is to really encourage competition amongst campus," Butler said. "While we obviously want to encourage team participation, we also want to push individuals to compete."
Events and planning will continue for the next couple of months leading up to the event. The Relay for Life Committee is still working on lining up vendors and the first captain meeting will take place in on Feb. 29.
Fundraising events, which are open to the students and the community, will also be taking place over the next few months at various campus locations. One of the events planned will be a St. Patrick's Day themed Karaoke Night at The Duck on March 16.
"Danielle and I have been on the Relay planning committee for four years now," Butler said. "We really want to make this one the best one yet."