Colleges Against Cancer president Mary Kate Wagner and gala committee chair Amanda Vargo, both sophomores in the College of Arts & Sciences, worked together to plan the event.,”
Marquette's branch of Colleges Against Cancer will be hosting a fundraising gala Friday night to raise money for the American Cancer Society's annual Relay For Life.
CAC president Mary Kate Wagner and gala committee chair Amanda Vargo, both sophomores in the College of Arts & Sciences, worked together to plan the event, which will take place in the Alumni Memorial Union.
"The fundraiser brings in entertainment and food to raise money for the Relay For Life," Wagner said. "The rest will go to the American Cancer Society."
The theme of this year's gala is "Cancer Through the Decades," and information about the history of cancer-related issues will be provided at the event, Wagner said.
"Because the Snow Ball is such a draw and there aren't a lot of dances on campus, we thought the gala would be a good idea," Vargo said.
According to Wagner, CAC is hoping to raise $40,000 for the relay, $700 of which will come from the gala.
"We're already more than halfway to our goal of $700," Vargo said.
CAC is a program created by the American Cancer Society to get college students involved in the fight against cancer, according to American Cancer Society representative Tiffany Carlson.
According to Carlson, students who get involved with Relay For Life before college often start chapters of CAC at their respective schools.
"Some receive scholarships from (the American Cancer Society) and we alert them to the opportunity," Carlson said.
According to CAC coordinator Leslie Miller, CAC started in Illinois in 2001 and has grown to include more than 250 universities across the nation.
"Colleges Against Cancer includes four major elements: survivorship, advocacy, education and Relay For Life," Miller said.
Branches of CAC are only required to fulfill two of these four pillars in order to qualify as an organization, but Marquette has participated in all four pillars, according to Miller.
"Students at Marquette are truly inspirational; they take the message of the American Cancer Society and make it happen," Miller said.
The gala will be held from 9 p.m. until midnight in AMU Ballroom B. Tickets are $5 and will be sold in front of the Brew Bayou until Friday. Tickets can also be purchased at the event.
The Relay for Life is April 27 and 28. Teams are still needed, and any group of students can create a team, Miller said.
An informational relay kickoff session will be held in the Henke Lounge on Feb. 22, at which teams can sign up and get information about the relay.
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