Members of Delta Kappa Pi walk the track showcasing their donation goal and a progress bar for the next victim to have their head shaved.
“Cancer changes perspectives,” Karen Morris of the Crete UCC Church said. Countless individuals on the Doane campus and throughout the world have had their lives touched by cancer in one way or another. Whether it’s a friend or family member they’ve lost or cared for, or maybe even themselves, cancer’s destructive impact is far-reaching, and to this day, we still fight for the cure. This is why we relay.
This past Friday, April 10, Doane and Saline County held their 31st annual Relay For Life event. The overall donation goal was $30,000, so Doane and the Crete community banded together to help raise money with a large event that drew a large share of the campus.
Participants in the event went all out, with many on-campus groups and organizations raising money at their individual tables. There was food for relayers to enjoy, as some tables cooked food for this event. Chi Delta sorority sold quesadillas, and Alpha Pi Epsilon fraternity sold pancakes.
Some tables opted for entertainment rather than sustenance, though. There was bracelet and keychain making, games, and even a dunk tank. Campus got to watch in awe as Quint Geis, Director of Career, Leadership & Service, dropped into the water not once, not twice, but numerous times. When asked why he kept going, all he had to say was “I’m a sicko.” There was dodgeball, tug-of-war and musical chairs that all could participate in as well. Needless to say, there was plenty of food and entertainment that made the six-hour event memorable.
APIO members pose for a photo at their booth where they sold boba.
Though the atmosphere was fun and lively for much of the evening, some events had a more serious tone. Early in the night, a few cancer survivors and caregivers shared their stories, which were heartfelt and emotional. These hopeful stories reminded the campus what Relay for Life was all about.
Later in the night, the luminaria ceremony was held by senior Jules Harlow, who has been helping Doane’s Relay for Life for the past two years but has been attending for four. During this time, students took a slow and quiet lap around the track as they placed their glowsticks in the luminaria bags. This could be ones they have created or any that were empty. By the end, all of the bags were glowing with hope for a world without cancer.
The event went from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m and had a very high attendance for the entire six hours. By midnight, there was still just as big a crowd as there was at the beginning. During the closing ceremony, final announcements were made, and the campus watched in anticipation as the donation tally was displayed.
Together, Doane’s 2026 Relay for Life event exceeded the donation goal by over $8,299, the most this event has raised in seven years. This marks another successful year for Doane Relay.
