By AUSTIN DeFOOR – Web Master
The Relay for Life team has exceeded their goal for the 2011-12 school year, and hopes to raise even more.
The Clarke Central High School Relay for Life team has exceeded their goal for donations – raising over $5000 – for the 2011-12 school year.
Clarke Central High School’s Relay for Life team will once again be participating in the Athens Relay for Life event in order to further exceed their donations goal.
The team has raised funds through several events, many of which they put on themselves.
“The first or second month of school, we had a Purple Out, and we asked everyone to wear purple for our team kickoff, and asked everyone to bring a dollar,” CCHS foreign language department teacher and Relay for Life adviser Dr. Meri Blackburn said. “Then we had jeans days for our faculty that same kickoff day, and we’ve had the entire month of April for jeans day. That always makes big money.”
They have also worked in conjunction with other clubs and organizations around the school to host larger events, such as the recent Mr. Incredible all-male pageant.
“Mr. Incredible was done by the Key Club, which raised almost $1300. We sold t-shirts; we made the purple t-shirts and sold those before the Cedar Shoals High School vs. CCHS soccer game, which made a great profit. FCCLA sponsored the t-shirts, so that helped us well on our way,” Blackburn said. “International Club gave us a donation from International Day, which was wonderful.”
Also, the team plans to give an even larger donation by participating in the Athens Relay for Life event this Friday at the YMCA.
“Our tent is going to be decorated in the birthday theme this year, so we’re decorating with birthday streamers and everything. We’re going to set the table up in the front so it looks like a birthday cake, and we’re going to have all the cupcakes set up that we’re going to sell on top of it,” Blackburn said.
The faculty at CCHS will also play a role in the team’s participation at the event.
“Our teachers are the ones baking the cupcakes that we’re going to sell. They’re donating them, so I think we’re going to have about 400 cupcakes to sell,” Blackburn said.
The planning and promoting of the event, however, is being done by the team members, sophomores Analisa Boza, Nafisa Chowdury, Aurora Fronseca, Geneva Hinkle, Hannah Scarbrough, Henry Scott, Josephine Striepen, Isabella Zaccaria-Jeffers and Sofie Williams.
“I have a great group of girls, and a guy, that work with me on the Relay team, and they just keep promoting it, putting up signs (and) showing up to the meetings,” Blackburn said.
The club has asked that all students and staff wear purple this Friday, and to come walk with the CCHS team at 6:45 p.m. at the YMCA located at 915 Hawthorne Avenue.