Two ambitious goals, one common cause
by Community Service Graduate Assistant Sarah Hoyle ’05

(Editor’s note: This slightly revised write-up on Trinity’s highly successful Relay for Life event first appeared in the spring 2006 issue of the newsletter of Trinity’s Office of Community Service and Civic Engagement.)

This year, sophomores Hannah Charry, Leighann Kinter, Sarah Knox, and Jennifer Wise established a Trinity chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation through the themed housing program. By holding various fundraisers, they hope to raise enough money to grant the wish of one local terminally ill child. What started as one wish blossomed into a yearlong project of tackling the disease at its very core.

The Wishmakers thought their program would succeed if they sought both short- and long-term solutions to the cancer epidemic. First, fundraising for the Make-A-Wish Foundation would be a practical solution for immediate results. Second, they would raise education and awareness through close association with the American Cancer Society. The society’s nationally established Relay for Life event acts as a symbolic merging of those two goals.

Trinity’s first-ever Relay for Life was held on this April 7-8, 2006. The non-stop 18-hour event was held on the Jessee-Miller Football Field and celebrates the culmination of yearlong fundraising for cancer research.  The Relay was dedicated to the memory of all cancer survivors, with special honor to Trinity’s very own Fred Pfeil. The English professor lost his battle to cancer last fall. The spirit if the Relay will attempt to mirror his irrepressible passion towards social activism and justice.

During the Relay, team members took turns walking the track to show communal solidarity in the fight against cancer. Teams consist of 8-15 people and represent their respective sports teams, clubs, Greek, religious, cultural life, administration and faculty.

“Bringing a Relay for Life here will allow everyone to see connections reveal themselves within our sometimes fractured Trinity community,” said sophomore Co-Chair Hannah Charry. “This is a unique community service event because it offers mass appeal. We all share stories of personal triumph in the face of unexpected sorrow. The Relay carries potential to bring us together in a magnitude that rarely occurs. I did a few Relays in high school and liked how it represented one common altruistic vision. It’s practical idealism at its finest.”

Planning Co-Chair Sarah Knox volunteered her time especially for the event’s potential to unite.

“While each club or organization on campus has a strong presence, there is little connection among each distinct organization,” she said. “Do-It Day is an obvious model we have to see social organizations, sports teams, religious groups, and activists come together in unilateral support for one thing.”

Relay Planning began in September 2005, with biweekly Committee Chair Meetings facilitated by Community Service Graduate Assistant Sarah Hoyle ’05.  She has worked daily on all aspects of the projects. As mentor and adviser to the Wishmakers quad, Hoyle played a crucial role in organizing the group and giving direction. ACS rep David Hirx made the trek from Meriden, Connecticut, to provide continuous overall support.

“From our first tentative meeting in the fall, when no one had any idea what this event entailed, each member of our 11 student committee chairs has now blossomed into strong individuals, confidently committing all of their energy to the success of the project. I have grown to deeply respect and admire these individuals with whom I have worked so closely,” said Kinter.

The chairs revealed news of the Relay with two Kick-Off Rallies in November and January. Students came to the Washington Room to learn how they could become personally involved. Freshman Amanda Garbatini, a six-time cancer survivor, delivered a moving speech about her experiences and the gratification that comes from joining the Relay.

Garbatini captivated the audience as she recalled the first time she noticed an unusual bump on her calf.  In 1998 at the age of 11 she was diagnosed with cancer and was submitted to a year of chemotherapy. The tumor returned twice, leading to a leg amputation in 2000. Six cancer free years later, Garbatini has embraced the role of with educator at various speaking engagements across the nation.

“I do believe that the experience of having cancer, while frightening, painful and awful, does have blessings. Perhaps the most important it has given me a chance to experience first hand how incredibly kind and caring people are,” said Garbatini. “During my illness I received so much love and support from not only my family and friends, but from the entire community. (Now) I have the opportunity to be here with a story that will hopefully encourage you to continue your support for this universal fight.”

The Planning Board consciously worked to set a striking balance between fun and respect throughout the two days. Luminarias lined the track to serve as visual reminders of all those lost to cancer. The Ceremony of Hope on Friday was the pinnacle of survivor recognition.  Sophomore Chair Andra Chantim will lead a Ceremony of Hope and slide show to honor those personally affected. Luminarias spelling the word “HOPE” on the bleachers lighted an optimistic tone for all to share. 

Simultaneously juggling two big projects with two different national organizations was no easy task. The quad mates started on a small scale with $310 raised during a modest Make-A-Wish Week in October. They sold paper stars for $1 during Mather meals and held an ice cream social in October. Chartwells and Hershey’s generously donated all of the ice cream, along with toppings. SGA President Narin Prum contributed as DJ. 

In December, the Wishmakers collaborated with the Inter-Greek Council to sponsor Late Night in Vernon Social Center. All fraternities and sororities closed for the night in support of the event. Tickets were sold for $3. The cooperation of the Office of Campus Life and local businesses helped bring the quad a few hundred dollars closer to granting a wish.

The ACES auction donated half of their proceeds to the Wishmakers, allowing second-semester focus to heavily lie on Relay development. The 18-hour walkathon was jam-packed with an abundance of food and entertainment. The life-affirming Survivor Lap at 6:00 p.m. was led by Professor Eric Galm’s student Samba Ensemble. The Opening Ceremony was followed by free dinner for all participants. Food and Beverage Chair Kelly Mearns worked the phones for months to provide late-night snacks, along with breakfast by Panera and a special Coldstone Creamery dessert tent.

The entertainment schedule served as a clear example of how the Relay has brought the campus together in comradery. Late-night hours will brought acts hailing from three different fraternities on the same stage. Headliner “Doublethink” has opened for the nationally recognized group Collective Soul. Early morning movie screenings reinvigorated the sleepy with the unilaterally favored “Anchorman” and “Zoolander.” 

A publicity campaign launched by Advertising Chair Jennifer Wise kept the Trinity community equally informed of new details. Mather banners, blast e-mails, and Trinity Exchange announcements were being used in unison to maintain an upbeat image on campus as the big weekend approached.

Event participants have found great meaning in their work. “When I initially got involved with this project, I had no idea how life-changing this process would be for me and all those involved,” said Kinter. “This is a project to which I had devoted so much energy and personal sentiment, but never once have I regretted a moment of it.”

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