Relay for Life to include benefit concert

This year, IU's Relay for Life teams will not be the only ones at Billy Hayes Track supporting the American Cancer Society. This year there will be a new addition: the IU program's first ever benefit concert.\nThe concert will begin at 10 p.m. Saturday and will last until about 3 a.m. The concert will feature many Bloomington bands, such as Attica Smiles, Musaic, Driving Force, True Story and Manny Frillo. \nMembers of the IU Relay for Life event committee said they are excited about this new event and hope it will induce a new sort of enthusiasm toward the race.\n"We believe that this benefit concert will create a positive response among all who participate," said Cindy Morse, this year's event development \ncoordinator. "Through this concert we hope to generate more funds to the American Cancer Society. It is also a great way for people who are not on a team to participate in other ways and still make a difference." \nThe Relay for Life as an overall event has become an extremely important opportunity at IU for participants to raise money for the ACS, and Morse said she expects 49 teams and around 500 participants this year. The event will begin at noon Saturday at the Billy Hayes Track on North Fee Lane. \nMembers of the planning board said they believe this is because it affects so many people. \nMilissa Eley, the mission delivery chair, said she has lost many members of her family to cancer. \n"The day I moved to IU I lost my mom to cancer," she said. "This organization is really important to me because it raises money to do all kinds of things, including aiding cancer prevention, which I believe can save lives."\nMorse said she believes the relay is also a very important way to affect and change the lives of others. \n"I think that this event is a fun way to remember those who have died and celebrate survivors while making a difference," she said.\nThe Relay for Life started when surgeon Gordy Klatt wanted to increase the income for his local American Cancer Society Office in Tacoma, Wash., according to the organization's Web site.\nIn May 1985 he spent 24 hours walking and running 83 miles. Throughout the night, his friends paid $25 to walk with him for a duration of 30 minutes. That night with 300 of his friends present, he raised $27,000. After the success, he imagined what it would be like to have many teams participate. The following year, his vision came to life when 19 teams took part and raised $33,000.\nMembers of the IU relay planning committee hope the benefit concert will help IU raise more money than ever before.\n"This is a great chance for students to benefit the community in which they live," said Nancy Rothgerber, an ACS staff partner. "We hope that this event draws in the general population who just want to have a good time. This benefit concert is a huge step in the right direction towards making this event even bigger and better than ever." \nTickets to the concert can be bought for $5. Everyone who attends will receive free Red Bull energy drinks and can purchase food from vendors as well. All the proceeds, in addition to those from the actual relay, will go to the American Cancer Society to be used for research, education, advocacy and patient services.