By Channing Prins
SUNY Plattsburgh’s Colleges Against Cancer club once again held its annual event with rubber ducks afloat.
Its fourth annual “Quack For a Cure’’ raised about $250 for breast cancer awareness and research. Pink rubber ducks were sold, one for $2 and three for $5. Then, participants were able to throw their ducks into Hawkins Pond to float around “to kind of show the collective effort to help support breast cancer awareness and research,” Emily South, president of CAC, said.
In the past, the event had a larger turnout. However, because of COVID-19, there are many new restrictions with on-campus events.
“It’s pretty similar but different with social distancing, masks and maximum 50 people,” South said. “This year, we kind of have to stagger everything. Hawkins Pond is a great space to be outdoors and spread out, so it’s a good place for us to have the event.”
Some students participated in the event for the first time this year. Senior Amy Macaluso, dual majoring in expeditionary studies and business with a minor in accounting, said it was her first time coming to “Quack for a Cure.”
“I just joined Theta Phi Alpha last semester, so I didn’t really know about it before then,” Macaluso said.
Everyone was encouraged to buy a rubber duck to place in Hawkins Pond even the first time students.
CAC is a club devoted to raising money and awareness to all cancers.
“I do like the cause that it stands for. I think that it’s very important.” sophomore nursing major Penelope Crawford said. “Usually our big event for [CAC] is ‘Relay For Life’ that’s held every spring. Typically, it’s in person, we’re at the field house, clubs and organizations create teams and we raise money. This year it’s going to look a little different because it has to be socially distant and less than 50 people, so we are looking to do a virtual ‘Relay For Life.’”
When it comes to being able to host events like “Quack for a Cure” for CAC, Macaluso said she supports advocating for breast cancer awareness.
“I have had relatives who had breast cancer and have gone through the whole process, so anything to support that [is important],” Macaluso said.
