Relay for Life at Dakota Collegiate is best described as the epitome of community and connection. This year’s event, hosted on May 14, 2026, marked the 5th anniversary of a Relay for Life event being held at Dakota Collegiate.
Relay for Life is an event hosted by schools and community groups across Canada, with support from the Canadian Cancer Society. The event aims to recognize the impact cancer has on our communities, to celebrate survivors and those currently battling cancer, and those who care for persons living with cancer. The event also focuses on raising money for the Canadian Cancer Society, which uses donations to fund groundbreaking research and support families or loved ones facing a cancer diagnosis.
To help recognize these families and the community members affected, Dakota’s Relay for Life invited eight cancer survivors from the community to be celebrated and to share their stories. These survivors helped us kick off our Relay with the Survivor Lap, where they led the group around the track as we recognized the great strength and perseverance shown in their individual journeys. We also heard from Survivor Speaker Drew Monnier, who recently beat stage III colon cancer this past February. He shared how cancer had completely changed his perspective on life, and how grateful he was to have fought and won against it. He was accompanied by his two daughters, his wife, and his colleagues from Graham Construction. Also celebrated was Survivor Melody Myers, who had done an interview with Dakota’s Relay team prior to the event. This interview can be found here.
The theme of the event this year was “Rodeo”, with student sporting their finest cowboy/cowgirl boots and hats, along with bandanas, leather clothing, and more. The event featured games centred on this theme, including the horseshoe toss, the tattoo station, pin the tail on the bull, and many more. Relay also featured a live DJ, with DJ Chell Osuntade bringing the beats and enthusiasm. Emcees Mr. Robert Scott and Grade 10 student Yuvi Singh brought energy and passion to the evening, getting participants hyped about the event and reminding them of the cause for which they were all coming together that night.
This year’s Relay also welcomed students from College Jeanne-Sauvé and Windsor Park Collegiate, who joined Dakota participants for the evening’s activities and fundraising efforts. Their attendance helped strengthen the sense of community that Relay for Life aims to foster, bringing students from across the division together in support of those affected by cancer.
The fundraising thermometer this year was set to $20,000. This goal was hit within a matter of weeks, and on May 5, the thermometer was fully coloured in. However, the Relay crew did not stop there. Participants and volunteers then raised an additional $10,000, smashing their goal. It was met with great cheers that this year’s fundraising amount was announced at the end of Relay night, with participants raising $30,776.12 by the end of the event! This adds to the funds raised over the past five years of running Relay at Dakota, bringing the cumulative total to over $120,000 since 2022!
This event was made possible thanks to a dedicated group of staff, students, and community partners. Beginning in January of 2026, a group of about 40 students planned, organized, and ran all aspects of the event both behind the scenes and on event day. This group of student volunteers was led by Dakota Grade 12 students Victor Odogun and Sabah Kabbani, along with a small team of Captains who ran individual aspects of the event. Helping them behind the scenes were their amazing adult team, led by Dakota Staff Ms. Jessica Kolisnyk and Ms. Arista Ryback, along with other staff members. These volunteers all helped ensure that each part of the event went off without a hitch and that the night honoured those affected by cancer in our community.
All in all, it truly was a night full of fun, laughter, and awareness. Students left with a strong sense of accomplishment after contributing to such an amazing cause. Already, the preparations have begun for next year’s event – with the goal being to come back even bigger, better, and stronger in 2027. Five years after Dakota's first Relay for Life event, students continue to demonstrate the power of community action, proving that even small contributions can make a meaningful difference in the lives of those affected by cancer. We can’t wait to see how you show up again next year, LRSD!
A recap of Dakota Collegiate’s Relay for Life event this year can be found at the following links: https://www.instagram.com/dcilancers/reel/DYXS76IRoaH/, https://www.instagram.com/dcilancers/reel/DYVqNgGx2Nk/, and https://www.instagram.com/dcilancers/reel/DZILSPyRjP6/.
— Yuvi Singh; Grade 10 Student at Dakota Collegiate and Ceremonies Captain with the DCI Relay for Life Committee 2026