This week, Notre Dame’s club for the American Cancer Society will host Purple Week, a series of events to raise funds and awareness for the March 28 Relay for Life at the Compton Family Ice Arena.
The Relay for Life is an event designed to honor cancer victims and survivors and to raise funds for research projects in the pursuit of a cure for cancer, according to the event’s website.
Student organizer Jack Szigety said one goal for Purple Week, named after the signature color of the American Cancer Society, is to increase the number of student teams signed up for the race.
“Purple Week is like our pump up for Relay for Life,” Szigety said. “Right now we have 23 teams. … We’re trying to have a captain at each dorm, but we only have 11 registered so far, so we’re going to work on that this week.”
Events for Purple Week will run from Monday through Friday, Szigety said. A campus-wide “purple-out” decorating contest was scheduled for Monday, when The Observer spoke with Szigety early Monday afternoon he said he thought it was probably going to be cancelled due to the University closure.
If the University reopens as scheduled tonight at 6:00 p.m., however, student organizers for the Relay will be recognized at the Coaches vs. Cancer men’s basketball game at 9:00 p.m. against Virginia, Szigety said. Irish coach Mike Brey will also be honored for his involvement in cancer fundraising research, he said.
“This is something that happens across the NCAA every year,” Szigety said. “We’re also hoping to sell the t-shirts during the game, but we haven’t gotten the okay on that yet.
T-shirts for the Notre Dame Relay for Life are $10 and will be on sale, in addition to various baked goods, in LaFortune on Friday from noon until 3 p.m.
Szigety said the dining halls also will make “as much purple [food] as possible” on Thursday night. This will be the third year in a row that the dining halls participate in fundraising for the Relay for Life, South Dining Hall manager Mike Poklikowski said
“It will be similar to what we did last year,” Poklikowski said. “We’ll have cake and cookies with purple icing and rumbleberry crisp.”
In addition, Rolfs Sports Recreation Centerwill host a blood drive from 11:00 a.m. until 5:30 p.m Wednesday. Purple hair extensions will also be on sale from 12 until 4 p.m. in the Coleman-Morse Center. All proceeds from the events of Purple Week will be directed to the American Cancer Society, the website said.
