Traditional relays include messages of competition and victory. For the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, the message is hope.

"If you look at pictures from it, you'll see that everyone is smiling," said Jackie Pinsky, Penn State's Relay For Life overall chairwoman. "There are not tears here. The key word is hope."

Relay For Life is a 24-hour, non-competitive relay held in April and comprises teams with at least one member walking for the entire 24 hours. Pinsky (senior-health policy and administration) said the overall significance of the relay is that when one member can not go on anymore, there is someone else there to relieve them.

Penn State's Relay For Life kicked off the 2007 event Wednesday night with an event to drum up excitement that nearly 50 people attended. The evening began with the committee chairpersons throwing relay-related items into the audience, including shirts in their signature color of purple.

"It's Relay For Life -- Penn State style," Jeremy Deiter (senior-recreation, parks and tourism), activities overall and master of ceremonies for the evening, announced.

Each chairperson was introduced using a rap song and an explanation of why he or she "relays." The overall committee used the term to describe the influence family and friends have had on each member's reason for participating in the relay.

Relay For Life was formed more than 20 years ago by Gordy Klatt in Washington state who walked for 24 hours by himself to raise awareness about cancer and money to fight it. Penn State's 2007 relay will mark its third year holding the event. The 2007 Relay For Life will take place from noon on April 14 to noon on April 15 at the Penn State Agricultural Fields.

Pinsky said more than $60,000 was raised last year by 87 participating teams. Each team usually has eight to 15 people who may or may not be affiliated with a campus organization. Teams can register online, and money can be donated online as well. More than $50,000 of the 2006 total was raised online.

"Our official goal is to raise $90,000 this year," Pinsky said.

"My goals include getting more people involved, because Relay is about celebrating people you know. It's a unique event because you can relay for someone you know."

Just a few weeks ago on Oct. 6 and 7, Penn State's 2006 Relay For Life earned the Heart of Relay Award for Mission Delivery. Doug Ebersole, a member of Penn State's staff support at the State College American Cancer Society, said this award means Penn State's relay is the "best of the best in Pennsylvania."

Deiter said Relay For Life is different from many philanthropic events at Penn State because it has a national philanthropy backing it, so there is much more the relay can do.

"I'm lucky because no one in my family has had cancer," Deiter said. "But I know that for everyone I know who doesn't have it, there are just as many who do."

Lori Sheetz (junior-English) attended the kickoff event as the chairwoman of the Blue and White Society's Relay For Life team. She said though the relay is tiring and intense, it is rewarding because you know what you're contributing.

"I have a lot of cancer survivors in my family," Sheetz said. "I want to see the end of cancer, and I think it's possible, and the sooner the better."