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Video by Richard Rinaldi and Amanda Summers-Plotno

Georgetown’s third-annual Relay For Life has raised nearly $360,000 to support the American Cancer Society, taking the title of highest-earning Relay For Life event held by university students but falling short of organizers’ fundraising target.

Though donations will be accepted until August, the current amount raised failed to meet the event’s $500,000 goal.

David Hammerman (MSB ’11), who co-chaired the event with Jennifer Donley (COL ’10), cites the economic slowdown as a reason for Relay failing to reach its fundraising target.

“I would say the economy is the number-one reason for why donations came in lower than last year, but to raise $360,000 to fight cancer and support the American Cancer Society in an economy like this is more than you could ever hope for,” Hammerman said.

Hammerman noted that it is difficult to make a comparison to the figures from last year, because last year $40,000 in donations came in after the event.

Even without the post-event donations, Hammerman said, Georgetown is still currently the number-one school in the country.

An estimated 3,800 students, faculty and other members of the community gathered on Harbin Field Friday night for the event.

“Ultimately, it is the Hoyas that make our Relay unique,” Hammerman said. “We always do everything by laying our hearts on the line and Relay is no exception.”

He also noted that this year saw a 400-person increase in the number of participants.

Not only did Georgetown raise more money than any other university – 5 percent of which goes to cover the event’s expenses – but students also donated enough hair to create seven wigs for Locks of Love.

Forty cancer survivors participated in a Survivor Lap, which kicked off the night’s festivities. As the survivors walked around the perimeter of Harbin Field, students cheered them on.

“The support in numbers is what truly makes the event what it is,” Hammerman said. “Afterwards, the survivors came up to me and [Donley] and were so touched by the level of support.”

The Luminaria Ceremony, which honors those who have died of cancer or survived the disease with individual lights for victims and a silent memorial lap around the field, was a somber pause in the night.

Suzanne Joyce (COL ’10), chair of the Luminaria Ceremony, spoke at the ceremony about when she lost her mother to cancer 10 years ago.

“It was a hard decision for me to give a speech,” Joyce said. “But [I] knew how impportant this time of remembrance was.”

“I think Friday showed the true heart and soul of the Georgetown community,” she said. “After putting my heart into [the Luminaria] Ceremony, I thought I could give a voice to people who also struggle to cope with their losses.”

Hammerman recognized the efforts of a committee of 100 students who worked for nine months to organize Relay. In addition to the committee, hundreds of students acted as team leaders.

Angela Sessa (MSB ’12) said her involvement in Relay For Life at her high school inspired her to be a team leader this year and to encourage her friends to get involved.

“I figured that starting a team would be the perfect way to get them involved and allow them to share in those same experiences,” Sessa said.

Joyce said that the event is reflective of Georgetown students’ attentiveness to community issues outside Healy Gates and their eagerness to contribute to a solution.

“Now, community awareness and action go hand-in-hand,” Joyce said.

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