The sun is bright, the wind is strong and the crowd is loud. Wylie, Sachse and Murphy joined together as one community and all walked for a cause April 27 and 28.

“I knew I had to do something to fight this nasty disease,” participant Austin Goss said. “Being able to see the survivors cry happy tears and look at us and say thank you touched my heart.”

Everyone from infants to seniors to participants and survivors all showed how much cancer is hated. Students showed that just because they are young, doesn’t mean that they can’t help out in the community and show their support.

The Wylie East team had one survivor.

“Kate Harris is a colon cancer survivor,” Mrs. Megan Maxwell, teacher and chaperone, said. “It was nice to be able to support her in her walk.”

Wylie East raised $3,265.59 over a period of three months.

There were three team captains on the Wylie East team, but they were also a part of the Relay for Life Wylie/ Sachse/ Murphy committee. The committee members started their work May 1 and did not finish until after Relay.

“It was a great event, everyone should come out next year to fight back against cancer,” Cody Howard, team captain and committee member, said.

Relay for Life consists of teams that have fundraised for cancer research throughout the previous year. Many choose to continue fundraising through the night by selling goodies at their campsite. It is expected that at least one member from each team walk the track all night long. There are five ceremonies throughout the night and they all celebrate a different part of Relay. From 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., the night is filled with games being played, food being sold and laughs being shared.

Wylie East High School’s Relay for Life team consisted of: survivor Kate Harris, chaperones Megan Maxwell and Angela Arp and students Cody Howard, Cassandra Asare-Sackey, Shelby Perkinson, Abby Smith, Kelsie Mathis, Claudia Lobato, Caroline Witty, Ralph Salazar and Austin Goss.