McCormick Auditorium held a massive “birthday” celebration Tuesday night as NU Relay for Life hosted its second annual kick-off event to promote the relay and encourage students to sign up for a team.
The celebration benefited the American Cancer Society, affectionately known as the “official sponsor of birthdays,” as mentioned by the event’s emcee, Lex Singer, a Communication junior.
The concert featured performances from a cappella groups Treblemakers, Purple Haze, Brown Sugar and Significant Others, as well as from The Main Men — runner up at Mayfest’s battle of the bands last year.
Relay for Life offered free frozen custard and mini-cupcakes from Andy’s Frozen Custard and Tiny Dog Cupcakes at intermission, and Singer tossed Relay swag into the crowd.
Relay donated the event’s proceedings in the name of the team with the most attendees. Team Slivka won the night’s earnings, a total of $437 toward their fundraising goal.
“Tonight was a great success,” Weinberg senior and Relay co-chair Ryan Shannon said. “We raised about twice as much as last year, which is a good omen for this year as a whole.”
Relay for Life will take place on May 13 at 7 p.m. at SPAC. Students can register for a team at www.relayforlifenu.com.
Thirty-two teams are currently registered for the relay for a total of 187 participants, not including those who registered during the event itself. More than $4,000 has been raised so far, most of which was raised through Relay’s No-Shave November Pageant fall quarter.
Relay’s kick-off week will continue with a faculty lunch on Friday where information about the event will be presented to university staff members.
“We get plenty of support from the faculty, especially select departments like the math department, but we’re always looking for more to get involved,” Shannon said.
According to Shannon, the benefit concert was their biggest event for winter quarter. Fundraising and promotional efforts will continue in the spring with weekly bar nights and trivia competitions at Buffalo Wild Wings.
Shannon and co-chair Jenna Kastan hope to raise $140,000 this year, surpassing last year’s $125,000 total. Last year, Northwestern’s Relay for Life chapter was honored as one of the nation’s top five youth groups involved in the organization.
“We’re focusing on PR this year to reach out to new communities. We also hope to connect more with participants and assist them in reaching their fundraising goals,” Shannon said.