Saint Anselm hosted the Sr.
Pauline Lucier Relay for Life
Opening Ceremony and Relay
for Life Fundraiser at 6pm on
Friday, April 4. The event hosted
47 teams, consisting of athletics
teams, clubs, service societies,
and more, aiming to raise money
for the American Cancer Society.

The college’s goal of $87,000 was
just barely missed, with donations
raking up a grand total of $70,941.
The fundraising event is hosted by the Relay for Life Committee,
which consists of the acting presidents of the four service societies
of Saint Anselm. Starting at 6:30, teams and individuals who registered for the event arrive in the
Carr Center, and “the societies do such an amazing job of setting up, and they have the relay committee [also], and they have really put their heart and soul into the event,” said Molly Timberlake ‘25.

The event began with the
Opening Ceremony, and all participants at the event heard from
the four societies’ presidents, as well as cancer survivors or caregivers. “The Grand Marshall this
year spoke about having incurable brain cancer and how she copes
with that and her life struggles, and how it turned into a fortunate event,” Timberlake said. The
Opening Ceremony is “when we
kind of get the night rolling,” Timberlake added.
This year’s Grand Marshall was
Stephanie Green, “and we found
her because she is Elizabeth Kel
ly’s, from Health Services, best
friend,” Gooding said.
“I think this year’s Grand Mar
shall was a very motivational and
well spoken person,” said Timber
lake. “She kind of did a great job at
showing everyone her mindset of
having cancer and how it’s some
thing she thinks of as a gift. And I
think it really woke a lot of people
up and changed their minds about
life, and it was really cool to see,”
said Timberlake.
“I agree with that, hearing her
perspective is so eye opening,”
Gooding said. “If she can be
that positive in something as life
changing and as scary as having
brain cancer, then we can admit
we complain about things [that
aren’t so bad,” Gooding continued.

“If she can have perspective
like this during what she’s going
through, I should be able to wake
up with that perspective,” Gooding added.
Following the Opening Ceremony with the speeches is the
first lap. “The first lap is survivors, the second lap is survivors
and caregivers, and the third lap
is everyone,” said Eileen Gooding,
President of the Saint Elizabeth
Seton Society.
Throughout the night, each ser
vice society hosts their own event
during the fundraiser. “Seton does
the haircutting ceremony, Keys
does the “Pie a Key” and tug of
war, Teddy’s does the cookout,
and Koin does Luminaria,” Good
Saint Anselm service socieites happily gathering together at Relay for Life.
2025 President, with an important
role in government and her team
for Relay, Timberlake remarked
on the wonderful individuals she
was on a team with.
Gooding said that regarding
their goal of $87,000, “it’s good
motivation for next year, because
people were definitely disap
pointed, but now it’s just more
motivation for next year.”
“I also think a big difference
with raising money is that there
were more sports teams this year
that couldn’t go than in the past,”
Gooding said, “because of away
games they wouldn’t be here,
which I think makes a big differ
ence.”
“I participated in Relay for Life
through the Student Government
Association, and I have partici
pated with them in Relay for Life
with them for the past four years,”
Timberlake said.
“Luckily I was on an amazing team, and Sal, Diego, Olivia
Habig, they took the role in ordering T-shirts, making the poster,
and they did a great job of getting
us ready for Relay, and kind of
telling the new members what it’s
all about and the excitement of it,”
Timberlake said.
Working alongside her team,
Timberlake said “they did a phe
nomenal job of getting us all ready,
so I was lucky in the fact that I just
had to show up and do my part in
‘relaying for life’.”
Upon arrival at the Carr Center
for the event, “the overall energy
was high, very high,” Timber
lake said. “Every time I’ve been
at Relay the energy is always very
high. I also think it being the last
Relay for Life that I’ll participate
in as a student here was really bit
tersweet,” Timberlake added.
Whether you were a part of a
society, a club, or any other team
that was registered, the meaning
of the event remains true for all.
In true Anselmian fashion, hun
dreds of students and community
members gathered to celebrate
the lives lost to cancer, the lives
that have survived, and the lives
that continue to fight. Great job
Saint Anselm and rallying to raise
money for more birthdays.