Colin Maiwurm – Staff Writer
With the current snowstorm upon Gustavus, The American Cancer Society student organization pushes through the snow to prepare for the Paint it Purple events that are coming up. This student organization is directly affiliated with the National American Cancer Society. The Paint it Purple events are this organization’s way to start educating others on cancer and advertise their bigger events like Relay For Life.
“We will be outside the Caf tabling Monday through Thursday, and then Friday we’ll have the Pie-a-Gustie event during chapel break, in the Caf,” Co-president and Senior, Keely Schuck, said. In addition to tabling for Paint It Purple, The American Cancer Society student organization (or ACS for short) will be answering questions that anyone has in regard to cancer or the events that are coming up.
As this student organization tables for Paint It Purple, purple bead necklaces will be given out in support of cancer patients as well as advertising the Pie-a-Gustie event. This event started with 14 Gusties that were nominated. Of those 14, only the five who raised the most money will be pied on Friday.
“The funds that we raise go directly towards the American Cancer Society,” Schuck said. Some of the money raised from the ACS student organization will go towards funding research for finding a cure, while other portions will go towards helping patients get the medicine they need or aid in their transportation to appointments. None of the money is kept by the student organization or by the college itself.
With cancer being as prominent as it is in today’s society, a majority of lives at Gustavus have been affected. This student organization is here to help create a safe space for people who have been touched by or want to learn more about cancer. The American Cancer Society student organization meets every Thursday at 7 p.m. in Beck 117 and encourages anyone who is interested to join. Within the meetings, they plan events and work on building a supportive community around those who have been affected by cancer.
As Paint it Purple comes to an end, it introduces a new event: Relay For Life. Relay For Life is held from 6 p.m. to Midnight on Friday, April 28. “[Registration] is free, but you have to register to come to the event,” Schuck said.
Relay For Life consists of a six-hour event that houses a multitude of activities. The most widely known event is running laps and participating in the relay. You can either participate in these activities alone, form your own group, or join one of the other groups that will be there. The American Cancer Society at Gustavus team is open for anyone to join, so no one is left out if they do not have a team but wish to be a part of one. In addition to running the relay, there will be other activities alongside the relays and laps that are hosted by other student organizations throughout the night. Some of the student organizations will have fun activities, like a giant water pong tournament. There will also be activities like Zumba lessons, swing dancing lessons, and even a burger eating contest, called the Chuck Norris Contest. To add incentive, those who participate in these activities will have chances to win a ton of prizes. There will also be a Luminary ceremony being held to honor those who have or are currently fighting off cancer.
While none of this costs any money to enjoy, people attending any of these events still help with the ACS student organization’s cause. People can be involved by joining the American Cancer Society student organization club, partaking in relay for life, or donating throughout Paint it Purple. The hope of Paint it Purple is to inspire students here at Gustavus to come to their events and learn more about cancer’s effect on people’s lives today and to create a safe, open community to talk about cancer. Whether you have been affected by cancer or just want free prizes, the ACS student organization is encouraging everyone to participate by coming to any of their events.