On April 5, 11-year-old DJ Claborne turned Tunnell School, where he attends, purple for
the day.
After giving a presentation to the school’s principal and faculty about Relay For Life, he recruited students to help put up banners, balloons, and ribbons around the school to raise awareness about the life-saving fundraiser.
“He’s awesome,” Senior Relay for Life Manager Deb Jeffers said. “He understands the concept [of Relay for Life].”
About 70 to 75 percent of the school’s population was dressed in purple, Tunnell’s principal Niccole Wiseman said. The event kicked off Tunnell School’s spring community service project.
Claborne lost his grandpa to brain cancer a few years ago, and his grandma is currently in the hospital fighting cancer.
“He knows that the more money you raise, the faster we can get the cure,” Jeffers said.
Claborne got the idea to decorate the school from “May Day for Relay,” the unofficial kick-off day of the Relay for Life season.
He hasn’t stopped with decorating the campus, though. The school has created a “dimes for DJ” program,” and the class that brings in the most dimes will receive a pizza party. Claborne will also be participating in the 2011 Relay for Life. He’s set a goal to
raise $100.
Tunnell School also has a Relay for Life store that’s open on Fridays, and the proceeds go to benefit the Relay for Life project.
There’s still room for those who wish to participate in the Relay for Life event. For more information, visit relayforlife.org/santa mariaca.
This article appears in Apr 14-21, 2011.