Relay for Life

My friend Angie needed a service project for her Communications class. What better thing to do than participate in Relay for Life?

On April 25, 2009, my friends and I headed up to University of Utah at 1:00 that afternoon. We had plans to be gone until 8 or 9 the next morning. We were going to walk 14 hours straight! The cause: All funds raised go to the University to aid in research in continuing to find a cure for cancer. Our job: Have at least one member from our group walking at all times.

We walked all over campus attempting to find where the walk was to take place. We bumped into protesters who tried to convince us to walk with them to the capital until they were noticed - They were working to save children in Africa. A noble cause indeed, but we had something a little different in mind. :)

We finally found the location after asking every passerby. There were tents set up all over the center of a sidewalk "track." By now it was raining and raining rather hard, but we were pumped and excited to do something none of us had done before! Jeans soaking? No worries, we would make it through.

Events were scheduled to last throughout the night to keep people entertained, including a toiletpaper fashion show at 2:00 AM, a 70's dance off at 4:00 AM, and karaoke at oddball hours of the morning. We just walked. :) Teenagers have the ability to entertain themselves.

Me, Angie, and Tyler, walked basically the entire night! We had an 11:00 PM break at Wendy's and I had a half hour nap at 4:00 AM to keep me going, but we did it! I cannot tell you how painful it is to begin walking again after a nap when you had walked 12 hours straight before - killer! But worth it!

It was such a fun experience! Heck, I even got a date out of it, but it's something that will stay with me forever. It was nice to reflect on some memories of Jen, and share some of those with my friends who were willing to listen.

Good times. Lots of laughs. Closer friendships.