"Our hard work and the rapid growth of Relay For Life are perfect examples of Culver students' ability to lead by example and dedicate themselves to accomplishing their goals," co-chairman Kyle Blankenship '11 (Crown Point, Ind.) said.

"I've had several family members who have been affected by cancer, including all of my grandparents.
"Relay For Life has become a way for students to fight back against this disease. The event holds even more importance to us as the largest and most distinct way that Culver Academies and the Culver community come together as one, even if only for one night," he said.

That one night is Friday (April 15) at 7 p.m. at Oliver Field as 60 teams will participate in an all-night effort to raise $130,000 for cancer research. Now in its fourth year, the Academies' Relay was the first in Indiana to be student-organized and has raised more than $350,000. Donations to the Academies' Relay For Life may be made online at www.Culver.org/relay.

Friday's Relay will feature Indianapolis Colts placekicker Adam Vinatieri for the second consecutive year. Vinatieri will speak at the survivor dinner preceding the Relay, attend the opening ceremony, and walk the first lap. A new attraction this year will be a fireworks show after dusk provided by Mad Bomber Fireworks Productions, Blankenship said.

The cause was bolstered Wednesday by a $2,500 check to the Relay on behalf of the Kelly Cares Foundation and its founders Brian and Paqui Kelly. Paqui Kelly is a two-time cancer survivor and the wife of the University of Notre Dame football coach. They created the non-profit foundation to support initiatives and programs aligned with their goals and values of the Kelly family in health, education, and community.

In her remarks to students, Paqui Kelly stressed that she didn't beat cancer by herself. It was a combination of family, friends, co-workers, community, and healthcare professionals. Teamwork and determination is what finishes the race, she said, whether it's earning a diploma or walking all night for Relay For Life.

"Be aware of what small part you can do make a difference. Everything doesn't have to be on a grand scale all the time," she said.
The Academies' Relay For Life is a community event with participation representing the school, the town, and Marshall County. As in years past, the Academies' Relay will include food, games, and live music, plus the usual events and commemorations, such as testimonials local cancer survivors and the luminary lap in which memory of cancer victims. Fair Oaks Farm in Demotte, Ind., is once again the event sponsor. Fair Oaks is owned and operated by Culver parents Michael and Sue McCloskey.

Initiated in 2008 as a senior-service project, the Academies Relay For Life has since been carried out by a student-run committee comprised of eight subcommittees involving over 100 student volunteers, Blankenship said.

In a joint statement, Head of Schools John Buxton and his wife, Pam, herself a cancer survivor, said "Communities are reflections of their deepest values.  At Culver we value leadership and service; in a word: citizenship. One hundred years ago our students saved the town of Logansport from the devastation of a flood. Today our students are making a similar effort to save others from a different type of threat: the devastating effects of cancer."

By: Doug Haberland

Culver Staff Writer