Relay for life is an overnight community fundraising walk that raises money for cancer. There website says generic things about where the funds go, such as research, but it fails to provide specifics.
Every year the event is held at Steinbrenner and Senior Tina Thornton has been one of the main student organizers of the event for several years now.
Q: What do you already know about where the money raised from Relay goes towards?
Thornton: “It goes towards Hope Lodge, which works with Moffitt Research Center to give cancer patients a free place to stay while receiving treatment. [The money] also goes towards cancer research and paying employees of the organization. It also helps support the Wig closet which provides two free wigs to cancer patients if they stop by the American Cancer Society office.”
Q: On the official website there is no clear percentage of how much money raised goes directly to patients, how does that make you feel?
Thornton: “it doesn’t bother me, just because it’s not going towards patients directly doesn’t mean it’s not going towards good.”
Q: How does the uncertainty of where the funds go affect your participations in the event?
Thornton: “I still want to participate because it still goes towards a good cause.”
Whether they explicitly say where the money is going is not, the American Cancer Society is going to continue to make a lot of donations each year. Students will want to get involved and try to make a difference in their community.
Kailey Mara/Staff Writer
