Be proud of the amazing things we've accomplished.
Be excited for the amazing things that will happen this year.

Always remember:

Champions, and cures, made here.

Go.

Fight.

Win.

Relay Around the World

Want to know how amazing all of you are? Everyone who has ever been to a Relay For Life is a rockstar in my book. Each and every one of you participate in an event that is held internationally! What other programs can do that for you? Every time you raise money for Relay For Life and the American Cancer Society, you are working together with millions of people around the world in a common goal towards eradicating cancer.

So yes, you are all amazing. Cancer is a part of too many people's lives and it is the most heart-warming thing in the world to see all of you come together and fight for something. You truly are a powerful force on the UCLA campus and around the world.

Feel like connecting to other Relayers? Here are a few videos from Relays across the nation to help put things in perspective on how amazing you guys are (I really can't say it enough!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YRj0QK5Urs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f6IVMHDMatI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpMUKhpWLF0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esdA6RMpm3I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0skOxEMvDzE&feature=related

On His First Real Fight

From Ross Perry, a Colleges Against Cancer at UCLA committee member:

“Hi! Would you like to help fight cancer?!...”

“No. Actually I think it really helps to control population growth.”

I normally don’t post notes like this on facebook. I find it kind of self-involved and narcissistic when people try to thrust their thoughts and views upon people in the public realm. However, I feel that this story is important enough and entertaining enough to share it with you and I think you will really enjoy it. This is my first, and likely to be my last facebook note posting, so if you have five minutes on your hands I would really appreciated it if you read it.

Last Thursday, I was “flyering” for Relay for Life outside of Covell Commons dining hall with some of my friends in Colleges Against Cancer. I was begrudgingly dressed in a giant carrot costume with my friend Tatyana, who was excitedly dressed in a giant strawberry costume (the costumes, apparently, were necessary to promote a healthy cancer-free life style, as well as garnish attention). Anyone who has flyered before knows that it is not among the most gratifying of jobs. Still, the worst response you expect to get from a passerby is a “No thanks,” or an “I’m not interested...” That was not the case that night.

After about 30 minutes of pestering UCLA students to “join the fight,” Tatyana approached one young man with a flyer and asked “Would you like to help fight cancer?!” with an innocent strawberry smile on her face. As fortune would have it, the young man took the flyer, but as he walked away we both heard him mutter under his breath “Actually, I think it really helps to control population growth…”

Pure, unadulterated rage flushed my brain. Tatyana’s jaw fell awestruck at in disbelief. “Did you hear that!?” She said. “Yeah. Yeah I did…”

Now I don’t know about you, but to me this guy’s comment was just about the most inappropriate and insulting thing I have ever heard anyone mutter. It is sure to go down in the douchebag hall of fame as one of the douchiest phrases ever to be uttered. It is up there with the best of the hellen-keller jokes. This guy, without a doubt, is king of the douches.

Needless to say, this D-bag had really cooked my carrot and so I went out after him in hot pursuit. As I rushed out the door I saw him ambling up the steps through a crowd of students. “HEY YOU!” I screamed through my carrot-hole. “I HEARD WHAT YOU SAID!” King-douche quickly looked back, and without a word turned and continued to climb the steps at a faster pace. “Oh f*%$ no!” I said to myself, and ran after him. At the top of the steps I caught him and pushed him to the side.

“You think cancer is funny man?! You think this is something to laugh about!?”

“Well, I think in the right context it can be funny…” I could immediately tell then that this douche was not one of those testosterone-overload douches who was trying to pick a fight, but rather one of those nerdy-douchebags who is used to hiding behind a screen-name and blogging inappropriate jokes on 4chan while he picks at his acne because it makes him feel edgy and cool. Nonetheless, this only made me want to smash his face in even more.

“Look man. I’m a cancer-survivor. Members of my family are survivors. I’ve seen some of my parent’s best friends die from cancer. I’ve seen one of my best friends lose both of her parents to cancer… Do you still think its funny?”

“Yeah… I do.” Oh lord. RAGE. SO MUCH RAGE. I have never clocked someone in the face in malice, but at that moment, I couldn’t hold back anymore. I reeled back in anger preparing to give this megadouche the beating of his life, but just at that moment it all became clear to me…

It became clear how bad it would be to get into a fight while representing an organization whose goal it is to save lives. It became clear to me how many bystanders had gathered around to see what was going to happen. And it became clear to me that I was indeed, still wearing a giant carrot costume… So instead, I said this to him:

“Someday you or one of your loved ones will hear the words “you’ve got cancer,” and then, at that moment, you will know my pain, and you will no longer think its so funny.”

At some point in our lives we will all have our first real fight. Mine started that day, but it was not against that young man who thought cancer was funny. That night, my fight began against cancer itself. That night, I came to the realization that although I had been supporting the fight against cancer for years, I had never, ever felt as strongly about fighting cancer as I had about fighting that student. So at that moment, I made a pledge to fight against cancer in honor of him.

I let the student go (with a big f*%$ you and a flip of the bird), but all the hatred I had built up towards him I redirected to the true enemy: Cancer itself. So thank you king-douche: You tried to belittle my cause with your ignorance and insults, but instead you have instilled within me a stronger drive than ever before. My fight against cancer is in honor of you.

Now I know many of you haven’t signed up to join the Relay for Life yet, because you’re just not passionate enough about the cause. While you are sympathetic to it, you feel that right now the fight against cancer is not your fight. It is time for you to wake up. Because someday, you WILL have to fight cancer. Someday it will afflict you or your family. Someday you may lose someone you love, unless you fight now!

So do me a favor and think of the person you hate most in the world (alive or dead). Think long and hard. Think how much you despise them. Think about how despicable they are. Think about how much better the world would be if they had never existed. That is what cancer will be to you someday. So don’t wait. Fight now so the world won’t have to later. Fight for yourself and the ones you love most as you would against the douchiest person in the world. Because, in all honesty, that is what cancer is: The biggest douche in the world.

And that my friends, is a thing worth fighting against.

To sign yourself or your organization up for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life please click the link below. The instructions are simple, and the satisfaction is endless. Thank you for your time.

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=28940

Sincerely,

Ross M. Perry

This is YOUR fight, OUR fight, EVERYONE’s fight. Please pass this along so your friends can fight too.

Do you believe in magic?

I said earlier that I'm pretty sure Relay For Life is magical. It's the most magical fundraiser in the world. Because it takes you on a journey. Many fundraisers are touted as all fun, all the time. And that's great- Dance Marathon, for instance is 26 hours of high energy.

But there's the rub.

It's 26 hours of high energy. 26 hours of loud music, of being "on." That's a lot to deal with! And it's exhausting. I've presented at a lot of conferences where I've needed to be "on" for that long, and outgoing to every participant, while trying to make sure they all feel cared for at the event. Because they are! I'm genuinely so pleased to have them all there, and I truly adore getting to know all of them. But that doesn't mean that I don't sleep for a solid day after those kinds of events!

Relay For Life doesn't take you that route.

When you get there, there's that Relay buzz, the excitement, and the knowledge that this is going to be amazing, but you're not really sure why. And you keep that enthusiasm going through the Survivor's Ceremony. Later into the evening though, that's where my favorite bit of magic happens. When the lights are turned down, and everyone comes together, and suddenly, the mood is transformed. We come together and then it's everyone's turn to relinquish being "the strong one" or being "on." In the glow of the candles or glowsticks, we're free to leave it all on the track. All the worries, all our heartbreak, because that's the time when we just get to be. That's so special to me, those moments at Luminaria. I take the time to be grateful for those who have won their fight, and to remember those who I've lost to this ugly disease. It's my moment to be weak. To cry.

Then you take this lap around the track, looking at the luminaria bags lit with Hope. You see everyone's reasons to Relay, and you realize that although the lap is silent, you are surrounded by thousands of people who are united to fight back.

You get the night to build yourself back up the intensity of the morning, and then dawn breaks, and you're getting into the fight back frenzy, getting energized to continue the mission, getting pumped up to burst out into the world and keep going.

Do you believe in Magic?

There's no place like Hope,

E

On Pride!

Want to know who we're proud of, as a committee??

Eric Sumner, Hannah Johnson, Christina Fischel, Andy Holton, Marcy Schaeffer, Megan McKee, Jay Boffa, Allen Suh, Jennifer Lee, Sabita Hatipovic, Ryan Nagy, Neal Parsons, Sarah Lisker, Vannessa Yeh, Lawrence Cohen, Christopher Eldredge, Laura Alexander, Alan Nguyen, Briana Maldonado, Leanne Iacovetta, Kyle Geers, Ellen Craswell, Jennifer Fisher, Erin Osmak, Annelie Rugg, Michelle Lapitan, Diane Meas, Ami Mehta, Jennie Pang, Chelsea Brown, Mimi Padmabandu, Carolyn Cota, Brittni King, Lauren McDonnell, Reuth Nir, David Rubio, Shelly Wu, Linda Reyes, Katrina Salgado, Theresa Gio, Christina Lowry, Gabby Bobarnac, Robert Elbert, Lauren Espinoza, Arielle McCracken, Mina Mohammadi, Amanda McMahon, Daphne Liang, Danielle Luce, Camila Lacques, Taylor Mulqueen, Tatyana Butenko, Dinithi Ketagoda, Michael Bonilla, Amy Berman, Juergen Lindlahr, Ally Cappiello, Kathrynn Benson, Jamie Larson, Ashley Weeratunga, Lindsey Dixon, Janet Maher, Jordan Duffey, Jillian Collins, Elizabeth Li, Lisa Winters, Brian Teng, Michael Winters, Michelle Helvig, Lauren Fernandez, Shannon Hayes, Andrew Tassinari, Kara Leary, Tyler Winters, James Wohlmuth, Alyssa Perlman-Hensen, Golden Key, Nayson Fernandes, Priya Srihari, Debby Hayes, Ariana Williams, Nicole Jamison-Dinowitz, Tracey Tsuma, Alyssa Louie, Natalia Zafferano, Angela Murray, Melanie Johnson, Margot Kollerer, Kristen Maher, Olivia Simmons and Kendall Brown!

Want to know why?! Because all of these AMAZING people have already raised their $100. Most have already raised a lot more than just $100, too! Eric Sumner, for instance, has raised $1990 in the fight against cancer-- what a rockstar!

Looking to sign up or donate? Join us at the Relay For Life of UCLA at relay.org/uclosangelesca!

On Fundraising With Facebook

Click on the photos to make them larger (and legible!)

Want to make fundraising even easier? There's a facebook application that you can add to your profile that will link your facebook page to your Relay For Life page. To link the two, sign into your account at relay.org/uclosangelesca. Once you're on the home screen, you'll see a page like the one above. See the orange box? Aim for that! Once you click the "Fundraise with Facebook" button, it will open a window to facebook and let you add the badge and application! It really is just that easy. While you're on the website, be sure to send out some emails to your contact list.

If you click the email icon across that top bar (it's fourth in, and looks like an envelope!), you get this screen:

There are all kinds of emails you can send out-- most of them are pre-written to make your life easier. Be sure to include a personal note from you, to personalize it, and send it to everyone you know! Once you've started your fundraising, don't forget to send a thank you note out! The email system is really neat and it's here to make your fundraising as easy as possible!

On Blitzin'

This is blitz week here in the LA campus events-- which means we're all doing our very best to squeeze in the last few teams before the price jumps from $50 on Valentine's Day at midnight.

Our goal for today is ten more teams- we're at 110, and it would ROCK to be at 120 by midnight tonight. So if you've been procrastinating on signing up teams, this is your chance!

Sign up now at relay.org/uclosangelesca!!

On the First Team Captain Meeting!

Credit where credit is due-- the team captains that made it through the rain were PHENOMENAL! And- they got first dibs on awesome fundraising opportunities set up through the committee! This year we've started setting up restaurant fundraisers that teams can adopt- we set it up, they flyer their little hearts out, and when the check arrives in a few months, we count it toward their team. Talk about a sweet deal!





With that- here's what you missed if you didn't come to the meeting! Cookies, chocolate, amazing team captain coordinators, and prizes. Moral of the story: you should come next time! On a related note, I won't pretend I'm great at holding a camera steady for very long! Props to Allie and Jake for an amazing first team captain meeting!

On the Second Team Kickoff

Our second team kickoff is coming up, and while we don't have a carnival a la Yale, we are going to have a blast! We have THREE locations for this kickoff-- Theta Xi, AEPhi, and the De Neve Quad. So no excuses! We wanted to be sure it was accessible for everyone to be able to come in and register their team for the party of the year- Relay 2010! Those three locations will be taking people from 7pm-9pm, but if you can't make it out, you can still sign up at the website: relay.org/uclosangelesca! The best thing about the kickoffs are that the prices drop to $25, so it's even easier to sign up your team!
Occasionally we get the question of where that registration money goes, and it goes straight into our fundraising total-- how neat is that? While we may take a $25 hit when we drop the price, spreading the word in how to get well, stay well, find cures and fight back to everyone who signs up that day is more than enough of a reason!

On the First Meeting of the New Year!

Hey party people! The first meeting of the year is tomorrow (technically, today) at 7 pm in MOORE 100 (that's the room everyone was shuffled into for orientation). While it's not our normal meeting room for the quarter, it'll be an EPIC meeting. So get excited!
Humphry is going home with someone new, and there are prizes for the peeps that emailed in their responses, and an exciting new project that's coming up! I've heard a lot of the updates coming at you all, and I'm incredibly jealous that I won't be able to make it and see all your smiling faces!!
It's going to be a great quarter, and most definitely a great night, so sport your CAC shirts tomorrow and let's rock this!

On FUNdraising Ideas

Getting started on fundraising can be difficult, but our Colleges Against Cancer committee brainstormed some ways to raise some Relay money this year! More to come!!

• Bake sale
• When you sell back your books, donate the money to your Relay fundraising!
• Auction/auction off drawings/paintings/services for friends or family
• Start saving loose change in a jar
• Highlighter party
• Boba Sale
• Decorate and sell ornaments
• Donations instead of gifts
• Car Wash
• Make and sell blankets
• Hang a sign in your dorm or outside your apartment
• Host a pong tournament
• Boobie Earrings, and other crafts
• Garage sales
• Poker tournament
• Put a donation tin at parent’s work
• Vacuum dorm rooms or apartments for donations
• Snuggie Bar Crawl
• Knock on doors and ask for spare change: “Change for Change”
• Handmade Valentine’s cards
• Ribbons
• Making T-shirts, bracelets, picture frames, tote bags, etc.
• Singing telegrams
• Donations for each lap
• Poker night
• At a party: Stop the Bop: Play MMMBop on repeat until a certain amount of money is raised. The more money raised, the more time between plays
• Host a frisbee-golf tournament on campus. Design some "holes," assign par, and prepare a prize for the winner!
• Present wrapping at local stores
• Enjoy Project Runway? Host Project Relay and sell tickets to your fashion show!
• Set up coin cans at check out lines at your local grocery stores. Be sure to attach a note with your reason to Relay! Try coffee shops too!
• Add the facebook application from your participant homepage!

On the Last Commitee Meeting of the Quarter

It was sad, guys! It was like standing in front of a (massive.) family and saying I wouldn't see them for a month! But there was still a solid turn out, considering it's Week 10 and all. I know I have a final tomorrow, so I know it can be stressful this week. But there are so many amazing things happening and so many great plans in the works for next quarter. Between the marrow registry drive, and all the team captain meetings that will be happening, and the amazing energy that always fills a CAC room, it's going to be truly epic next quarter. I have so much faith in you all and everything that everyone's been accomplishing!
I'm excited to see everyone all well-rested after break!

So good luck on finals, happy holiday of your choice, and we'll see you in the New Year!

P.S. What's your Relay Resolution for when the clock strikes midnight?

On Relay Holiday Wishes

If I could make a wish for Relay For Life at UCLA this year, I would wish for an in-field so packed full of tents we don't even have space for a soccer tournament. I'd wish to not only beat USC, but also UC Davis (while we're at it, maybe Virginia Tech, too!) in fundraising. I'd wish for sponsors for the backs of our shirts. I'd wish for a purple ribbon on every Bruin, and for them to know why. I'd wish for temperate weather April 17th and 18th, and a sprinkler system that doesn't have a mind of its own. I'd wish that Bel Air wouldn't protest our use of sound, and maybe that they'd join us in our event. I'd wish for a hugely successful Black, White, and Purple Ball. I'd wish to leave as big an impact on this event as it has undeniably left on me.

But most of all, I'd wish that we wouldn't have to Relay... I'd wish for a cure.

On the Impending Game

While I have no problem bouncing ideas off of the chairs over at USC, I'd really like to be able to celebrate a Bruin victory... perhaps around the time of the next LA chairs meeting. So here's to our Bruin football team, may they have all kinds of luck on their side this evening when they faceoff with the Trojans.

Also, I wouldn't mind if Traveler showed up blue and gold. But that's harder to arrange.

On a Hugely Successful Teams Kickoff!

Yesterday and today were absolutely astounding in how well everything worked out. There was definitely an increase in the number of people who came into the Wooden Center to physically sign up their team in person, and there was an insane push online to get everyone registered. We walked away from about 36 hours of insanity with 82 teams registered for Relay For Life. The most common question I was asked was, "Wait! Do I still have time to register?!" It's amazing to see how excited people are about Relay For Life starting back up, and how ready and willing they are to take up the fight with their friends. We're going to have an amazing year, and I, for one, and so grateful to all of our returning teams, we're so thrilled to have you back with us for another amazing year!
There are two teams that really tug on my heartstrings, and those are "Shine For Shannon" and "Shannon's Last Wish," the team that her family made. They're both dedicated to a truly amazing individual that I know we all miss dearly.
The outpouring of support has been absolutely stellar, and we're well on our way to our teams goal!