Last Saturday night, hundreds of Penn students stayed up until 7 a.m., and it wasn't because they were partying.
Over 400 students and their family members, divided into 42 teams with eight to 15 members each, participated in Penn's third annual Relay for Life.
The purpose of the relay was to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
"The idea is that since cancer never sleeps, the fight against cancer never sleeps," said Wharton junior Corey Hulse, who helped organize the rally.
From 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., at least one member from each team walked the track of Franklin Field, though daylight-saving time took an hour out of the night.
When not on the track, participants enjoyed entertainment and munched on food provided by sponsors including Papa John's Pizza, Wawa and Au Bon Pain.
Hulse said the Penn event has grown substantially since its beginning three years ago. This year, $46,000 was raised.
"It exceeded our expectations in terms of numbers of participants and donations," relay committee member and Wharton junior Meghan Taylor said.
The relay began with a lap around Franklin Field by cancer survivors and included two speeches from people who overcame the disease.
"It was a somber ceremony, but it got the word out," Hulse said.
Entertainment included performances by University performing arts groups like Penn Dance and Sparks Dance Company, as well as live music from local bands.
Engineering senior Rachel Drossman, who has been involved in Relay for Life since it first came to Penn, said the event also featured whiffleball, pie-eating contests and tents set up on the football field by participants to use if they just wanted to relax.
"People definitely had a good time," she said. "It was inspiring, and it helped build community since there were so many different groups from Penn."
Hulse, whose mother survived breast cancer, said that he has participated in nationwide Relay for Life events for years.
"I've seen the joy of just having my mom around. It's a way for me to give back somehow," Hulse said.
Taylor said that students who want to participate next year should join the new campus organization Colleges Against Cancer, which will organize next year's relay.
"We're looking for an even bigger turnout and hope more people get involved," she said.
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