Harrison High School to Host Relay For Life

Harrison High School will be hosting Relay for Life on April 25-26 from 7pm until 7am. Relay for Life, a national fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, is an organized overnight community event with food, games, and events to honor those who are fighting their battles with cancer and to remember those who have lost their battle.

The Relay for Life of Harrison team of HHS juniors Dillon Bogart, Matt Mendelsohn, Jeff Solomon, Catie DiRe, Lauren Mehlman, Kelly Brabant, Katie Steins, and Gina DiRusso has been participating for the past four years in this national event. With the support of IB CAS advisor Allison Blunt and dedicated teachers, administrators, and community members, the team already has signed up nearly 300 participants.

The Relay for Life of Harrison’s goal is to raise $50,000 and is already over halfway there. These dedicated juniors have urged their classmates, teachers, family, friends, and community members to participate as groups through their extracurricular clubs, sports teams, families or community organizations. To date, Relay for Life of Harrison has 39 teams (of 15 members or less) committed to participate.

“Our Harrison community has had an extremely difficult year, and we really want our event to be a celebration of life,” said Dillon Bogart.

This year they wanted to rally the Harrison community with an event that has a carnival atmosphere. Activities geared toward celebration will include games, booths and a creative way to raise money by selling strips of tape – physically taping Principal Steve Siciliano to the wall- during the evening. Other events will include a dinner with cancer survivors, a walk around the high school track in the evening to represent the darkness of the diagnosis and dealing with cancer, a Luminaria Candelight Ceremony at 10pm, and a sunrise celebration signifying hope.

“We are hoping to create an event that our whole community, young and old, can enjoy,” said Kelly Brabant. “Whether you come for one hour or stay for the entire 12 hours, we want to create an atmosphere where the community can come together in celebration,” Katie Steins added.

For more information on how to participate in one or all of the activities, visit www.realyforlife.org/harrisonny .

“The goal of this event is to raise money to help the American Cancer Society invest in groundbreaking research for every type of cancer, as well as provide free information and services to cancer patients and their caregivers,” said Gina DiRusso. “With your help and support, we can make Relay a huge success in the Harrison community and help to create a world with less cancer and more birthdays.”