Student group raises $50,000 for cancer research, finds support in Student Life resources

Nearly two weeks before Relay for Life of GVSU was to be held on campus, members of the Grand Valley chapter of the American Cancer Society Colleges Against Cancer found out they could no longer hold their fundraiser in person. An event they had been planning since June 2019.

Tears were shed and members shared their disappointment. Alexandrea Trent, the group’s vice president and a senior majoring in marketing, said executive board members knewit was the best for everyone’s health and safety, and came up with a plan for how to hold the event virtually.

“Our committee really came together by using their creativity and putting in a lot of effort in such a short amount of time,” Trent said. 

The theme for this year’s event was “Hoedown,” and some activities were planned with that theme in mind, such as a country music lip sync challenge on the social media platform Tik Tok.

The group also posted short videos on social media for its various ceremonies and hosted a movie screening through Netflix Watch Party. Despite the challenges, the group raised more than $50,000 for the American Cancer Society.

Faith Bartle, president and a senior majoring in allied health sciences, said she felt proud to be able to host the event virtually and raise money.

“Having the virtual event was difficult and we didn’t expect to do as well as we did,” she said.

Bartle said being part of the student organization, albeit virtually, during a time of global uncertainty has helped her "stay sane."

“I found my best friend in the group and we call each other a family,” she said. “This club has been much better on my mental health.”

Melissa Baker-Boosamra, associate director of Student Life Civic engagement and Assessment, said the Office of Student Life has been providing support to student organizations during this time of transition.

The Office of Student Life has a website with virtual resources for student organizations, including meeting tools, tips on how to hold virtual elections and a guide on preparing for the fall 2020 semester.

“Student organizations are about creating community and a sense of belonging for our students,” Baker-Boosamra said. “We’re reinforcing, ‘we believe in you, we care about you and carry on the work you've been doing.’”