National Relay For Life Youth Summit Oct. 20 – 22, 2006 Phoenix, Arizona

Session Notes: Communication Prepared by Leslie Miller

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Emerson

National Communications 1. Conference calls 1st Monday and Tuesday of each month a. This is a great way to stay up to date on topics and learn more ideas. b. Great Idea: Have a meeting during the call and have the entire chapter listen in. 2. CAC Online Community (www.societylink.org) a. This is a great area to learn, share, and grow as chapters can gain information, interact, and post questions/stories. b. Session suggested having a password/user-name for a chapter to use. c. Email [email protected] if you’d like to share a story to be posted on the online community.

Local Communications 1. Encourage chapter communication a. Weekly email updates b. Newsletters to all members from staff and leaders c. Have people share a story at each meeting to remind people of reasons to Relay. 2. Encourage UNIQUE communication in hopes of standing out in the midst of other organizations that do similar messaging. IDEAS included: a. Flyers/posters in the shape of certain items (ie. a flyer shaped like a tent to support Relay.) b. Themed props that have messages attached… I.e. i. Sex and the City Breast Cancer Party could be promoted with a martini glass attached to a note with the invitation ii. Hawaiian leis to promote a Beach – themed Relay Kickoff. Attach invite to lei. iii. Progressive flyer: One day one, write “Come,” Day two add, “Come Ask,” day three add, “Come Ask Me…” etc until you have a complete message and have left people in suspence. iv. Hand out Luminaria as flyers. 3. Ways to make flyers better: a. Wear them b. Put them upside down c. Float posters/flyers with balloons d. Put flyers on the back of lecture chairs or in bathrooms. Session Notes: Relay For Life 201 Prepared by Leslie Miller

“Cooking up new ideas for the Experienced CAC”

1. Communication is vital for a strong CAC 2. Overview of CAC history and structure a. Est. 2001, over 300 chapters today b. See local page of committee structure. 3. New to 2007: Leaders of Hope (Chapter of Excellence). To qualify a chapter must: a. Listen to and participate in 5 Conference Calls: i. 1 Training ii. 1 Survivorship iii. 3 others iv. * Must include 4 different members throughout the year. b. Have activities for each strategic direction c. Register on the Online Community d. Turn in completed year end Report 4. We discussed important leadership qualities and the value of such qualities in a leadership team… several qualities include: a. Strong Communication b. A Visionary c. Empathy d. Planning ahead skills e. Ability to change f. Interest and understanding of team building g. Will to make hard decisions.

5. Leadership Best Practices a. Transitional Leadership and evaluations b. Delegation c. Empowerment

NOTES and IDEAS: One group suggested that for transitional leadership they focus on this model: 1. Freshmen year: Students try things… get involved on a committee 2. Sophomore year: Serve as co-chair on some committee 3. Junior year: Chair a committee 4. Senior year: Act as a resource and mentor to new people Session Notes: Relay For Life Prepared by Christa Erp

“Seasoning Tips. How to add spice to your Relay For Life”

FACT: Did you know that 1 in every 10 Relayers is a youth participant?!?!

Ensure that your chapter is using the most efficient structure possible. One suggestion from National is as follows: President

Advocacy Cancer Ed. V.P. Relay Survivorship

(Additional CAC positions report to the V.P.)

How can Relay be recognized as part of CAC: -Talk about CAC at Relay committee meetings, team captains meetings, bank nights, ect. -Walk in your homecoming parade as CAC and hand out Relay information to show that the two are connected -Ask each CAC member to recruit 1 person at Relay to join CAC the next year -Print the CAC logo on RFL promotional items -Include CAC information during the ceremonies at your Relay -Survey team captains and challenge them to help next year with RFL and CAC -Give the top 10 team captains a CAC shirt and invite them to join -Use an application process when recruiting for CAC so it seems like an elite group to be a part of

Hint: Consider having the RFL lead on CAC be the RFL event chair also Session Notes: Cancer Education Prepared by Christa Erp

“Healthy Ingredients for a Cancer-Free Future”

Three Focus Areas For Education Within CAC: 1. Breast Cancer (October) 2. Smoking/Lung cancer (November) 3. Healthy Living (February/March -nutrition -reproductive health -skin cancer

Hint: Invite researchers to your event and recognize them during opening ceremony. This will help to make students aware of the research happening in the area.

Best Practices for Education of Breast Cancer: 1. Paint the town pink and incorporate a program with survivor speakers 2. Post educational facts on trees throughout the campus 3. Sell shirts with different catchy sayings 4. Provide education at dorm meetings (use sample breast with fake lump) 5. “Strikes Against Breast Cancer” bowling tournament where people pay to participate, wear pink, and learn tidbits about breast cancer 6. Change outdoor lights that shine on buildings on campus to pink for one week 7. Dye water in outdoor fountains to pink 8. Hold a bra decorating contest 9. Hold a “best rack in the row” contest where guys dress up, take pictures, and then hold a penny war to determine the winner 10. Hold a “Sex and the City” marathon and share the episodes where Samantha is battling breast cancer. Provide a variety of pink stuff, facts, and info for those who attend. Bonus: Bring in a breast health specialist who may be able to answer additional questions about breast cancer and what the show depicts. 11. “Feel it up Booth” to offer sample models of tumors. People are encouraged to feel the samples, and then learn how to do exams themselves. 12. Sell mammograms – basically, this is a candy gram with “M” candies… When we deliver the messages, we also include breast cancer info.

Best Practices for Education of Lung Cancer: 1. Change out ashtrays filled with sand for ashtrays filled with mints (include stop smoking information). 2. Educate students on hooka smoking and that it is not a safe alternative. 3. For Great American Smokeout, people can turn in their cigarettes for a free Subway sandwich or turkey sandwich. 4. Put smoking facts on the walls in the quad or in dorms. 5. Decorate the sidewalks with cut-outs of dead bodies to signify those who die from lung cancer each day. 6. Hold a truth demonstration where someone blows a whistle every time another person would have died from lung cancer. 7. Give out smarties or dumb dumb candies depending on whether or not the person smokes. 8. On Halloween, go around to houses with stop smoking information to kick off your November Great American Smokeout campaign 9. Collect cigarette butts on campus and make a mural of them. 10. Have a “Blow bubbles, not smoke” campaign where bubbles are handed out with smoking facts and figures. 11. Kick the BUTT out of cancer but getting a large plastic butt and having people go around and hit the butt with a bat. Anti-smoking information can be handed out to the people who participate.

Best Practices for Education of Healthy Living: 1. Hold a “Get Wacky Wednesday” where you have all sorts of goofy games to get people moving 2. Hand out nuts with a saying that says “Be sweet to your nuts” on Valentine’s Day to encourage testicular cancer awareness 3. Create a skin cancer IQ test that teaches people about risk factors of not protecting your skin properly 4. Give out bracelets with sun-sensitive beads so people know they have been exposing their skin to the sun for too long 5. Hold a “Dodge For Your Balls” dodge-ball tournament where people pay an entry fee to participate and also are given education on reproductive health 6. Hold an “Ovarian Egg Hunt” at Easter time to promote reproductive health 7. Give out sun patrol citations on campus along with sunscreen samples 8. Distribute colon cancer education materials to faculty and staff members 9. Post facts in unusual areas like bike racks, student gyms, water fountains, etc. 10. Offer free smoothies with information on healthy food. 11. Hold a “Spread your Legs” campaign where cervical/testicular cancer are explored and information is given. 12. Have a slip’n’slide layered with sunscreen and encourage students to use the slide (thus they will get sunscreen on them). 13. Hold a physical fitness week: a. Monday: Mile Monday – run a mile b. Tuesday: Touch football Tuesday – hold several games throughout the day. c. Wednesday: Workout Wednesday – Encourage people to workout in ways that fit them, including a big push at the gym. d. Thursday: Try something new Thursday e. Friday: Fun Fitness Friday – hold a bowling tournament as a sample of something that’s fitness and fun. f. Bonus: Have punch cards and hold a drawing for those who participate in each day.

General Cancer Education Ideas: 1. Hang facts in the bathrooms and laundry rooms 2. Write facts on white boards in classrooms 3. Table or chalk on campus 4. Hold a Mr. RFL contest and have the questions revolve around cancer prevention 5. Try “Study Snacks and Cancer Facts” during finals week when people are looking for something to eat and they can be educated too

Session Notes: Survivorship Prepared by Christa Erp

“Savoring the Taste of Success”

Survivorship Chair Responsibilities: -Locate and involve survivors -Provide opportunities for survivors and others to honor, remember, and share experiences -Create a supportive network for survivors and caregivers

Survivor Etiquette: -Remember that every survivor’s experience is different -There are different stages of survivorship (newly diagnosed, going through treatment, survivor of X months or years) -LISTEN to the survivor -Be supportive -Show compassion -Provide opportunities for them to get involved -DON’T be pushy, have pity, or smother them with questions

Resources for Finding Survivors: -Youth scholarship winners -Local ACS office -Cancer Survivor’s Network -Chalking, banners, posters around campus or town -Hope Lodge -Local hospitals -Support groups -Word of mouth FACT: There are more than 10 million survivors alive today!!! Survivorship Ideas: -Have a student survivor speak at your Relay kickoff -Be sure that you explain to people who is considered a survivor (anyone that has heard the words “you have cancer”) -Hold a survivor and caregiver combination lap at Relay -Send postcards to survivors that say “We support you in your journey” -Have a “Why I Relay” lap at Relay where people put a picture on a paint stir stick with the person that they are there to honor or remember -Ask the survivors to judge the campsite decorating contest -Offer valet parking for survivors -“Adopt a Survivor” where a team spends the evening with that particular person -For part of the survivor gifts, ask each team to make a certain number of small gifts that will be given to the survivors at Relay (examples include frames, candles, CD’s, bracelets, etc.)

Session Notes: Advocacy Prepared by Christa Erp

“Stirring Ingredients for Advocacy Success”

Fact: Over 100 CAC members who are signed up for the ACS Cancer Action Network responded to the Save Mammograms campaign!

Ideas for Advocacy: -Get the ACS Cancer Action Network kits from your staff partner to do a membership drive -Encourage your chapters to fill out the CAC Advocacy survey on the CAC online community via www.societylink.org -Sign up for the new monthly advocacy update sent via e-mail. This will provide a new activity idea and an update on legislative priorities -Get new, up to date information from www.acscan.org/collegesagainstcancer -Remember the 3 parts of a legislative meeting: 1. Hook: introduction, where you are from, # of people you represent 2. Line: share your personal story 3. Sinker: make your request of the lawmaker -Use the tobacco toolkit that has everything you need to get your campus to go smoke-free (available February 2007) -Get signatures for hot issues -Have an advocacy lap at your Relay