Huge success for St. Thomas of Villanova High School during their latest Relay for Life event.
The school held the 5th annual Relay for Life on May 30 and surpassed their fundraising goal by double.
The goal for this year was $60,000 - however the event raised over $125,000.
Relay For Life is a fundraiser held by schools all over Canada, and is put on through the Canadian Cancer Society.
All funds raised go towards helping individuals who are currently battling, or who have battled cancer. Majority of the funds raised by the high school will stay local to help fund ride programs to and from treatments, hospital and hotel stays, a help hotline, and other resources.
Michela La Porta, a Grade 11 student at Villanova and participant chair of the Relay For Life event, says the fundraising total is amazing.
"When we unveiled the final cheque of $125,000, our final total, I was just amazed! I was not expecting it."
La Porta says she's still in shock.
"It feels so great to just even be a part of this experience already, and then have that much money already raised, I just feel like I'm doing something good in the world."
Sofia Borrowman, another Grade 11 student at Villanova and participant chair of the Relay For Life event, says it was a great event.
"Obviously you're having fun, there's lots of activities, and it's a really good day, but the purpose is we have our luminary ceremony and our survivor speaker which is that impactful part of the day where you see what this is really all about, and what we're gathering for."
There were approximately 600 participants at the event.
In 2023 - the last time the event was held - the students also surpassed their fundraising goal of $50,000 by raising over $72,000.
-with files from CTV Windsor's Bob Bellacicco