IU Relay for Life challenges Purdue

IU and Purdue University will compete once again.

Beginning at midnight Thursday an online race to raise the most money against Purdue University for this year’s Relay for Life will commence.

The competition is sponsored by IU’s Colleges Against Cancer Executive Board. The school that receives the most online donations between Thursday and Friday will be the winner.

The losing school will face several consequences. During their own Relay for Life, the loser will have to dedicate a lap to the other university while the fight song of the winner plays, IU’s Colleges Against Cancer Executive Board President Kelly Glass said.

Also, the losing executive board must present the winning executive board with the “Oaken Luminaria” while dressed in apparel of the winning school.

“There’s always been an unwritten competition,” Glass said. “But this is the first year we are doing something big and official.”

The “Oaken Luminaria” is a reflection of the “Oaken Bucket” that is presented to the winning football team after the annual Bucket Game. The ceremony at the end is also a mirror of the Luminaria ceremony that takes place at each Relay for Life, she said.

The 10th annual charity fundraising event, IU’s Relay for Life will take place April 6-7. Students can register as individuals or team members to walk laps around Gladstein Fieldhouse to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

Participants can purchase and decorate their own luminarias that are lit around their walking area to honor those with cancer.

“The competition is foremost obviously about raising more money for American Cancer Society,” Glass said. “But, it’s more than that. At IU our biggest fundraiser is the Dance Marathon, at Purdue theirs is Relay for Life. We want to spark more interest. It’s a rivalry thing.”

In close to 10 years, IU has raised approximately $385,000 for Relay for Life, said Erica Meyers, American Cancer Society representative for IU.

“This year, the goal is to raise $35,000,” Meyers said.

Before kicking off the competition, the executive board invites all Relay for Life team captains and team members to join them at a meeting at 8 p.m. today in the Kelley Business School 109. All members in attendance are encouraged to wear IU spirit apparel.

During this meeting, the Purdue Executive Board and its team members will Skype in to finalize the rules.

“The IU Relay community is really excited to compete with Purdue,” Meyers said. “We are leaps and bounds ahead of where we were last year, and feel confident in the challenge. If Relay is anything like basketball ... we should have no problem defeating the Boilermakers.”