Fight Back

When people talk about the fight against cancer, they aren't just talking about those facing the disease first hand. They mean the efforts of millions more who care about saving lives, diminishing suffering from cancer, and eliminating cancer as a major health threat once and for all. In communities across the globe, the American Cancer Society offers people opportunities to fight back against cancer through advocacy and volunteer efforts and events like Relay For Life®. By raising much-needed funds and awareness, every one who takes part in Relay helps support the Society's lifesaving mission, and in turn, helps fight back against a disease that affects so many.
 

Fabulous Fundraising Ideas

• Continue to send fundraising emails!  It is a fast and easy way to ask for donations from friends and family you haven't heard from yet! 
• Statue of Relay: Somewhere on campus - in the quad, in the cafeteria, in front of the Union. All you need is silver paint, a kiddie pool, and an attractive gentleman. Have him paint his entire body with silver paint (make sure it’s washable!) and then paint the Relay logo on the chest. Stand in the kiddie pool and wait for people to throw their money into the fountain.
• The end of the semester is a great time for college students to hold a post Relay garage sale. Encourage students to spring clean and donate any unwanted items to the Relay Garage Sale when school gets out. After the sale, all unwanted items can be donated to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.
• Bring all cans and bottles from the event to a recycling center and donate the money generated from that (also works if your campus has a big end-of-year celebration party)
• Facebook/Myspace/or whatever you kids use these days: Send 20 Facebook messages asking for $5 or $10 a piece.
• Bar/Restaurant Night: Team members find local bars or restaurants willing to sponsor a night in which 50% of the money made that day goes to Relay. Volunteer your team members to help serve or bus the tables. Have team members/servers wear Relay gear and make sure to send an e-letter from Convio asking all registered participants to come support your efforts!
• Great idea around finals! Dinner is Done: Team prepares casseroles in aluminum pans with foil lids. Casseroles are pre sold and pick up is at a near. Advertise to Relay participants parents so they can purchase their student a meal.
• Offer incentives, specifically things like a cleaning or meal service, a gift certificate to a tavern for teams that make a post Relay goal. 
• During finals week, encourage teams to hold study breaks sessions- this could include selling healthy snacks, coffee, tea, energy drinks, etc. Or have a fundraiser with a massage therapist to provide a 15 minute session to relax. 
• Have a cook-out fundraiser at the end of the school year to celebrate completion of finals. Sell hamburgers/ hot dogs and hold a volleyball tournament outside once the weather is nice. $5 - $10 entry fee for each 5 person team to enter. Give away sunscreen packets and UV beads to promote Sun Safety.
• Host a Breast Cancer Buffet for a donation. Ask a breast cancer survivor to speak, honor breast cancer survivors and remember those who we lost to breast cancer by decorating the room with pink paper hearts that bear the names of those who have been touched by breast cancer. Have a performance from an a capella group, serve pink desserts, and have breast cancer facts and information available.
• Set up a pink pinwheel display on the campus green. People can buy pinwheels for $1 and dedicate them to survivors or anyone they wanted. The pinwheels were then put in the ground.
• Have a table in a visible spot on campus and charge for manicures with UV nail polish. Have shot glasses filled with sunscreen as examples of how much you should use each time you apply.

More Fabulous Fundraising Ideas

To take part in this landmark new study, visit the Cancer Prevention Study-3 website to find an enrollment location near you and for more information about how to participate in research today for a cancer free tomorrow!

To learn more about how you can Fight Back, visit http://www.RelayForLife.org/.