Shailini Pandya ’12 was drawn to the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Relay for Life because of the powerful united community it creates. So when she came to Scripps College in 2008 and couldn’t find a local chapter, she started one.
In 2009, Shailini and a group of Scripps students organized the first Claremont Colleges Relay for Life team and participated in the Pomona City Relay. The following year, they organized a Relay event held at the Colleges, encouraging students across the 5Cs to build their own teams and raising $26,000 in the process. In 2011 donations grew to $28,000; the goal this year is $30,000.
“Relay provides a community for survivors, caregivers, and anyone with an interest in the ACS’ work to come and do their part in the fight against cancer,” says Shailini. “It’s always fulfilling to know I did a little bit to give back.”
The 24-hour event is collaboration in the truest sense of the word. Multiple teams walk Pomona’s Strehle track all day, alternating team members as they grow fatigued. Each team must have one member on the track at all times, and each member must raise a minimum of $100 in pledges to the American Cancer Society to participate. It’s not all hard work and no play; free food, games, celebrations, and special ceremonies for survivors in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to cancer are offered as well.
“Scripps – and all of the 5Cs – is a great place to participate in community service and be involved with civic engagement,” says Alice Chang CMC ’15, one of this year’s event organizers. “We often hear the phrase of ‘being stuck in the college bubble,’ but the issue of cancer is present everywhere, even in beautiful, sunshine-filled Claremont.”
Shailini encourages all 5C students to help with Relay for Life. “The talented individuals across the 5Cs I have worked with have made the Relay experience that much more worthwhile,” she says.
To learn more about Relay for Life, please visit the American Cancer Society‘s website. To donate to the Claremont College’s Relay for Life, please click here.
Above: Shailini Pandya ’12, Annsley McKinney ’12, and Yasamin Soltanian ’12 participate in the 2011 Relay for Life.