Paternoville resurrected itself this weekend at the Penn State Agricultural Fields, but this time, students camped out to fight for a cause slightly greater than front-row seats.

From 11 a.m. Saturday until 11 a.m. yesterday, Penn State held its second annual American Cancer Society (ACS) Relay for Life. About 80 teams composed of 10 to 20 students and community members participated in the 24-hour walk to fight cancer.

Relay teams kept at least one team member walking around the designated course at all times throughout the event to raise money for their organizations.

The first Relay for Life, held last year on the HUB lawn, consisted of 18 teams and collected about $10,000, ACS adviser Doug Ebersole said. This year, the goal of $40,000 was surpassed.

Public Relations Chairwoman Jessica Deppen said just more than $70,000 was raised in total at this year's relay.

"We have seen tremendous growth," Ebersole said. "To have almost 80 teams this year is phenomenal."

Overall Chairman Jeff Sirkin said changing the event location provided a more effective atmosphere for the relay, allowing more teams to come together and stay at the event rather than just stopping by.

"The tent village is so cool, but its not too far away that you can't go home," he said.

The sign, "Paternoville will never rest," was only one of the many team slogans placed around the campsite. Many teams also put up posters with the names of the friends and family members diagnosed with cancer for whom they were walking.

"We all have family members who have been affected by cancer," Jessica Toepfer (junior-elementary education) said.

Toepfer's organization, Student Pennsylvania State Education Association (SPSEA) put together a 15-person team after hearing about the relay through the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

"Even if it's not as big as Thon, the Relay is still very successful," SPSEA member Audra Schaeffer said.

Serkin said the relay is especially unusual because of the variety of student groups participating in the event. Thon committees, greek organizations, student majors and dorm floors formed teams specifically for the event.

"All walks of Penn State are here," he said.

Deppen said most of the money raised before the relay was done online through e-mail. Team members were able to forward e-mails about the relay to friends and family, who in turn sponsored their teams and passed the word along to their co-workers and friends.

Many teams fundraised throughout the event as well, Deppen said, selling food and gifts to raise money for ACS.

Among the organizations, family-sponsored Team Paterno sold food and handmade bracelets, each with 10 different colored beads representing the 10 types of cancer.

A local fourth-grade elementary class also participated in the event, raising $109.25 by hosting its own lemonade stand, Activities Chairman Bill Koellhoffer said.

Fundraising activities were sponsored by the event as well, including a candlelight luminary procession, silent auction with autographed Penn State football memorabilia and Mr. and Ms. Relay drag show pageant.

Deppen said the goal of the relay this year was to involve more people in hopes of setting the foundation for a future Penn State tradition.

"We want this to unofficially become the next big thing in spring," Koellhoffer said.

Entertainment Chairwoman Jackie Pinsky said this year's relay theme, "Hope is contagious," allows the group to connect with students and spread the word for next year.

"If we did our job right, it will continue across campus," she said.