Last week the Division of Administration and Finance hosted a fundraiser for the Relay for Life program where several members of the administration and student body braved a dunk tank and the chilly autumn air in the name of charity.
Relay for Life is an initiative created by the American Cancer Society to help raise the awareness of cancer and celebrate those who survived the disease and remember those who did not. The Division’s fundraiser was held in the Student Union Park from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 7. Alongside the dunk tank, pulled pork sandwiches and dinners were sold for $4 and $7 respectively.  Though the food sold well, the main attraction was the dunk tank.
Any passers-by could pay $2 to throw two balls at a target that would release the seat and send the “diver” into the water.
“It’s for good cause,” said Dr. Ann Carruth, dean of nursing and the first to brave the tank that day. “I worked as an oncology nurse, so I know several people who have died from cancer, but also many who have survived. That’s why we’re here today; we’re doing this for the survivors.”
Carruth sported a wet suit during her 20-minute stretch over the tank to help stave off the chilly air. According to Carruth (and several other divers) the water was warm; it was the air that was really chilly.
The dunk booth alone raised $781 dollars for the Relay, as many students, faculty and staff gave up their cash for charity and also took advantage of dunking high profile students and administrators.
Anna Woodall, administrative assistant in athletics, took great delight in giving to a cause and plunging her boss, Athletics Director Bart Bellairs, into a tank of water on a cold November morning.
“It felt wonderful! It has been a long time coming, two years, actually,” said Woodall. “But seriously, I’m out here because my mother has ovarian peritoneal cancer, she was diagnosed in March this year.”
Others that braved the tank included Ron Roberts, head football coach; Branden Summers, Student Government Association president; Miss Southeastern 2012 Renee’ Picou and several others from various departments.
As of press time, it is unknown how much money in total was raised.
“We still don’t know exactly how much money was raised, because we ended up having to refund some food money. We oversold some lunches and sandwiches,” said Marie Lou Imbriguglio, an analyst with the department of human resources and the fundraiser’s organizer.
“We are still working to balance that aspect of the fundraiser. We do know that we sold 200 lunches and sandwiches, a few T-shirts and raffle tickets. We think that it was a huge success.”
The actual Relay for Life event, which will be held next Saturday, Nov. 17 at North Oaks Park and, according to Imbraguglio, there are still plenty of Relay T-shirts and raffle tickets to sell.