On Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, the United Student Government of Moravian University held the University’s first Relay for Life in an effort to raise money for cancer research. This event was conducted in conjunction with the American Cancer Society (ACS), which has been hosting Relay for Life since 1985. That year, Dr. Gordon Klatt walked and ran for 24 hours around a track in Tacoma, Washington, to raise money for the ACS.
Forty years later, the Moravian University community decided to follow in Dr. Klatt’s footsteps. In total, over nine teams, including yours truly, The Comenian, and approximately 100 people, participated with USG, raising over 8,000 dollars with the help of Moravian students and outside businesses.
The relay featured a welcome ceremony at 12:30 p.m., which honored cancer survivors and their caretakers. These cancer survivors performed the first lap around Mak field with the rest of the participants following.
There were many side activities that relayers could participate in throughout the relay, including a bead station, blanket station, water bottle and sticker station, hope rocks, and luminaria decoration.
As the relay progressed, so did the activities: those who stayed throughout the entire relay had the opportunity to get face painting, participate in a karaoke contest, get henna tattoos, and much more.
Intermittently throughout all these fun activities, there were a total of five designated relay races, ranging from a minefield race to a team obstacle course. Participants also had access to food trucks like The Perk Up truck and The Grub Night Food Truck.
This event was a testament to the combination of hard work and dedication to a noble cause. Planning for this large-scale event began about a year ago. This included reaching out to local businesses, setting up fundraisers, reserving the actual field for the relay, and planning fun activities for relayers.
As part of USG myself, I spent a lot of time on marketing, too, with various social media posts. USG hosted a Kendra Scott fundraiser, a fundraiser at Red Robin, obtained gift cards from stores like CRAVE, collaborated with clubs like WITH GRACE, and also with the Moravian Activities Council. This is just a few of the exhaustive initiatives the USG took to make this event a success.
This Relay for Life is a symbol of the difference Moravian students can make with dedication and hard work. We are a relatively small university, and to raise over $8,000 while coordinating a significant event to properly honor and respect those who are battling cancer and those who have survived is a monumental task. Still, we, as a community, managed to accomplish it.
USG plans to make the Relay for Life an annual event for the Moravian community, and we should take that initiative. By participating in events like this and raising funds for such a good cause, Moravian University is committing to taking a stance against cancer and to research and care for those who need it.
