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Relay for Life to be held at St. Olaf Friday

By Tom Vogel
May 3, 2006

The annual American Cancer Society's Relay for Life will be held Friday at St. Olaf College's Manitou Field (in case of rain, the relay will be held in Skoglund Center). Organized by the St. Olaf Cancer Connection, the event will begin at 5 p.m. and raise money for research and programs of the American Cancer Society.

During the event some 50 teams of students from St. Olaf and Carleton colleges and community members -- totaling 500 people, plus an additional 200 registrants expected by Friday -- will gather at Manitou and take turns walking or running laps. Teams can register up to the day of the event at a table that will be set up outside the entrance to Manitou.

In addition to friendly competition among the various teams, the relay also will feature music, entertainment, food and performances by Northfield dancers. St. Olaf's Student Government Association, thanks to a grant from Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, is sponsoring a kids' corner with arts and crafts, games, stories and prizes.

A COMMUNITY EVENT
St. Olaf sophomore Margit Ahmann, who is helping organize the relay, says they want emphasize that this event is not just for St. Olaf and Carleton students and faculty, but for the community at large.

"All are welcome," says Ahmann, who became involved with the St. Olaf's Cancer Connection last year. "We all know someone who has been touched by cancer. Relay is an opportunity to face the reality of cancer in a community of hopeful people."

She adds, "You really just have to experience it to feel the energy and sincerity of every person there."

RELAY FOR LIFE AND CANCER CONNECTION
Dr. Gordy Klatt, an American Cancer Society Volunteer, founded Relay for Life in 1985. Since its initial beginning, the Relay has become the world's largest fundraising event and is now held in more than 3,000 locations across the United States.

The St. Olaf Cancer Connection was founded in 2003 by student Ashley Miller '06 and is a service organization designed to provide cancer-related opportunities in the areas of volunteering, cancer education, outreach and fundraising for the St. Olaf community and residents of Northfield and surrounding areas.

Send donations to: St. Olaf Cancer Connection, 1500 St. Olaf Ave., Northfield, MN 55057. To form a team or participate in a variety of ways, contact the St. Olaf Cancer Connection Office at 646-8028 or hiller@stolaf.edu.

Contact David Gonnerman at 507-786-3315 or gonnermd@stolaf.edu.