This Sunday morning, just before sunrise, a crowd of hundreds will assemble on the bleachers of the Robert R. Hermann Stadium at Saint Louis University.

At that time, the organizers of SLU Relay for Life 2009, an annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, will announce how much money participants have generated after 12 sleepless hours that night and months of fundraising before.

Relay organizers say that they are driven by a passion to defeat cancer.

“We will find a cure,” said Relay Co-Chair Marissa Moniz. “That’s why we keep fighting.”

This year organizers of SLU Relay for Life have set a fundraising goal of $185,000. Last year the group raised $171,000, according to Moniz.

Moniz said that Relay’s objective this year is “lofty,” and she said that because of economic troubles, collegiate relays nationwide have been having trouble meeting their goals.

Relay Accounting Director Stephen Moehle said that participants still had a shot at meeting this year’s goal.

“We’ve done our best throughout the year to do that,” Moehle said. “It’s always possible.”

Fundraising efforts culminate at the Relay for Life this weekend, stretching from an opening ceremony at 6 p.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday morning. Participants will circle the track in the Hermann Stadium throughout the night. At the same time there will be entertainment from both campus and local acts. New activities this year will include a giant late-night Twister game.

So far about 1,300 people have signed up for SLU Relay. Moehle said that this weekend’s events are open to anyone, and registration will continue until Saturday. Even those who have not been fundraising during the past few months can still contribute, Moehle said, by patronizing on-site fundraisers. Donations made online until mid-August will also still be included with this year’s fundraising total.

So far, Relay participants have raised more than $67,000 from online donations alone. Moehle said that online donations, however, are “just a small fraction of all the money raised for the whole year.” Relay traditionally keeps the total under wraps until the closing ceremony. Additional lines of income include cash and check donations. Relay has also organized other fundraising events, such as selling pretzels outside of Humphrey’s Restaurant and Bar and holding pizza and trivia nights.