The Turlock High School Relay For Life club, which includes 150 members in all four grades, has set a new bar when it comes to fundraising. By the end of this week, students will have raised $20,000 for the annual cancer awareness event, which benefits the American Cancer Society.

“The American Cancer Society set an event goal of $13,000. THS set a team goal of $15,000…we passed our team goal last week and by the end of this week should hit the $20,000 mark! $20,000 is pretty unheard of out of a group of teens! Turlock High School has definitely set the standard when it comes to raising money in our area,” said THS Relay For Life Advisor Kristin Bettencourt.

The students have met during lunch every other week since September, and have actively fundraised throughout the entire school year.

“We sold cookie dough, set up a “No-Shave November” campaign, held a drive-through dinner, held a softball game and homerun derby, collected coins, sold business card ads and event sponsorships, sold sweatshirts and students have asked for donations from friends, family members and neighbors. We even have younger siblings holding dime and penny drives as a part of our ‘Bullpups’ team,” said Bettencourt.

Last summer, the American Cancer Society asked THS to partner up with students at California State University, Stanislaus to hold an all college/high school student Relay For Life, which will be held April 5 and 6 at CSU Stanislaus.

Aside from participating in their own meetings, a select group of THS students also hold event committee positions and meet monthly to collaborate with the college students.

“Our group is made up of students from all social/economic backgrounds, races, ages, interests … but what we all have in common is a connection to cancer. Our team motto is ‘Cancer Doesn’t Discriminate and Neither Do We.’ At each meeting, we have discussed cancer statistics, ways to prevent cancer, healthy lifestyles and every possible way the American Cancer Society can help cancer victims and their families,” explained Bettencourt.

The Relay For Life begins at 9 a.m. Saturday at CSU Stanislaus, located at 1 University Circle in Turlock. The opening ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. and the Survivors Lap is scheduled to take place at 9:30 a.m.

For more information, visit http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/RelayForLife/RFLCY14CA?pg=entry&fr_id=56317.

Last weekend the Turlock High School Relay For Life Club held “Swinging For a Cure,” a softball game and homerun derby to support the club’s $15,000 fundraising goal for cancer research. Photo courtesy Turlock High School Relay For Life Club.