Relay celebrates, remembers, fights back
Relay for Life teams filled the Lantz Arena on Friday for the 12-hour walk-a-thon.
The teams that came out to help raise money for cancer research ranged from sororities and fraternities to local Wal-Mart employees who formed a team of their own.
Lisa Stiverson, a freshman special education major, had a team of her own with her family.
She and her team sold breast cancer awareness magnets, pins and key chains that she made herself.
Lisa Stiverson said this was the second Relay for Life event this year where they sold items and they made a $165 profit at the Relay for Life in Champaign, which they donated to Relay for Life.
Lisa Stiverson said she became involved with Relay for Life because of how she has personally been affected by cancer.
Sitting next to Lisa Stiverson at her table was her mom, Becky Stiverson, with a silk scarf wrapped around her hairless head.
Becky Stiverson, from Champaign, was diagnosed with breast cancer on Nov. 18, 2010. She has undergone six chemotherapy treatments and Stiverson’s last treatment of chemotherapy ended this month.
Becky Stiverson said when her doctor saw the results after her chemotherapy he could not believe how well she was doing.
Other teams also set up booths where they sold items to raise money for Relay for Life.
One team made gift baskets that everyone could bid on in a silent auction.
The gift baskets were filled with various items such as candy, movies, beauty supplies and books.
Angie Hackett and Becky Balanger, two Charleston residences, sold their handmade bookmarks, pens, magnets, key chains and pins.
Alpha Phi Omega also set up a table that was more geared towards children as they sold candy and they also provided games the children could play.
Kendall Jackson, a junior family and consumer science major and member of Alpha Phi Omega, said he attended the relay to help out a worthy cause.
“It’s community service and our fraternity is all about community service,” Jackson said.
Olivia Angeloff can be reached at 581-2812 or oangeloff@eiu.edu.
Relay celebrates, remembers, fights back
Katie Heise, 15, of Charleston, plays the game Twister Saturday during Relay for Life, a 12-hour fundraising rally to raise money for the fight against cancer. (Kimberly Foster
