Students, parents, teachers and community members who attend the Relay for Life Walkathon on March 29 will walk around the track to show their support for those battling cancer, survivors and their families. The event will be from 2:15 to 4:30 p.m. and all money raised will be donated to the American Cancer Society.

Participants will be able to enjoy food trucks, enter opportunity drawings and raffles, get involved in activities like writing letters to cancer patients, participate in games and support a charitable cause. Prizes for the raffle and opportunity drawing include a one-on-one SAT tutoring session, gift baskets, gift cards and certificates to local stores and restaurants.

“The Relay for Life event puts our focus away from our grades and our academics and puts our focus on other organizations,” activities director Matthew Torrens said. “It’s very powerful when you get 100 kids walking around the track.”

Relay for Life is an organization dedicated to fighting cancer that organizes fundraising events in several different countries, including Australia, France and Japan. The money raised is donated to the American Cancer Society to help cancer patients and their families.

According to Event Lead of the Campbell Relay for Life George Mageles, Relay for Life celebrates those who have been affected by cancer and those who have received support from American Cancer Society programs.

“Relay For Life brings together people from all walks of life,” Mageles said. “We remember those we have lost and we pledge to fight back until we find a cure!”

The school’s event is organized by juniors Anna Novoselov and Emilie Zhou, who are also part of the Campbell Relay for Life Event Leadership Team, ASB and the official Campbell Relay for Life Committee.

The Relay for Life of Campbell will set up booths to provide information about the many programs of the American Cancer Society. Additionally, there will be upbeat music, games and a station where people can write letters to cancer patients.

Although Saratoga and Los Gatos used to have their own Relay for Life Committee, the Saratoga, Los Gatos and Campbell teams recently joined to form the Campbell Relay for Life Committee. The Campbell Relay for Life’s annual 24-hour event will take place from July 13-14 at the Campbell Community Center and will include a survivor and caregiver lap, live entertainment and a luminaria ceremony for participants.

For Mageles, who attended his first Relay for Life in 2006 to support a friend who had been diagnosed with cancer, the event was “life-changing and meaningful.”

“My hope is that the students, families and other participants who come to the Mini-Relay will be moved to continue the fight by joining our Relay For Life of Campbell,” Mageles said.