By Jeff Kenney
Editor

CULVER — Relay for Life is coming to Culver.

If that name doesn’t ring a bell, it should. The all-night event, which takes place all over the U.S. and abroad, including here in Marshall County each year in Plymouth, honors cancer victims and collectively raises more than $400 million annually for the American Cancer society toward cancer research.

Thanks to the efforts of a group of Culver Girls Academy students, the Academy will be the first high-school institution to host a Relay event in the U.S. and possibly even the world. In addition to all of the above, Academy junior Ashley Eberhart, from Downer’s Grove, Ill., hopes the event will help bridge divisions between the Academy and town communities.

“We’re all affected by cancer no matter where you live or what you believe,” she says. “Things have been done before to heal the fissures, but we really think this is something that will unite everybody.”

The Relay for Life involves teams of eight to 15 people who walk laps around an area track in order to raise funds locally. Culver’s event is slated for Friday and Saturday, April 18 and 19, 2008, at the Academy’s track at the corner of State Roads 10 and 117.

“I did one (Relay for Life event) at my high school in Downer’s Grove and got involved, and it helped me with my grandpa’s death,” recalls Ashley. “I was in a cottage on Lake Shore Drive and had the idea (to hold a Relay in Culver).”

So she spoke to her Culver Academy advisor, Lauran Allinson, along with some other students, and Ashley’s dream began to become a reality. “I was in the same room with (Allinson) and Ashley,” says Academy junior Katie Barnes, who attended school for her first eight grades in the town of Culver and lives in the town as well. “I was pretty much in on it from the very beginning. Alyssa Spratte, also a junior from Chicago, is also in on it. I know a couple of people who have been touched by cancer. Chances are everyone knows someone who has had or died from cancer. I went to a Relay in Kokomo once and I had a blast.”

Also on board is Ranti Ositelu from Westfield, who spent last summer working at IUPUI in cancer research. “Ashley told me about it…I thought it was an awesome idea. It’s an extension of what I really wanted to do.”

The girls formed an advisory committee with several students and Dean of Girls Laura Weaser as an advisor. “It’s been a great initiative because we’ve been getting a lot of freshmen and sophomores involved, even though they don’t have to,” says Ashley, who is also quick to point out that their efforts are not part of the school’s required Senior Service Project, but grow out of their own determination and initiative.

The group is planning two kick-off events to inform and involve the public, one at the Academy and one in the Culver community. While Ashley is development chair for the Academy, Katie Barnes will do the same in the Culver community, something that’s important to her from her own background. “We’re really trying to get teams from both places,” notes Katie. “Growing up in Culver, I’ve experienced the separation of the Academy and the (town) community.”

Ranti agrees: “We live in same place, but we’re so separated.”

Ranti notes that the group’s communications committee has posted flyers all around town with help from Moira Ruhly of Culver, and plans to present the idea to Culver’s Town Council.

Karen Easterday, familiar to many in Culver and herself a cancer survivor, has already recruited several teams for the event, says Ranti. Katie adds that the hope is to involve 35 teams and to raise $35,000 with the event. “We’re looking to get sponsorship,” says Ashley, adding, “If any cancer survivors in the community would come out, we’d love to honor them. We appreciate and admire them.”

Those interested in becoming involved in Culver’s Relay for Life in planning or participation, are encouraged to contact Karen Easterday at 574-842-2029.

“The bottom line,” Ashley continued, “is that one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer. Three in three people have the opportunity to find a cure.”

She said, “My dream is to come back to Culver in 25 years and participate here in a Relay for Life.”