Breanna Watzka was a senior at St. Francis DeSales High School when the school held its first Relay For Life, which honored Barbara O'Riordan, who taught at DeSales for more than 20 years before losing her battle with ovarian cancer.

"I never heard of Relay For Life before that. It was a really neat experience," Watzka said. "I thought it was a nice sense of community for a great cause."

The Lewis Center native was inspired by that one experience to volunteer with cancer foundation fundraising. Now a senior at Otterbein, Watzka has been named the American Cancer Society's Franklin County Volunteer of the Year in Income Development.

During her freshman year at Otterbein, Watzka participated in Ohio State's Relay For Life event because Otterbein lacked its own.

After that, Watzka's sorority, Tau Delta, was approached about organizing a Relay For Life at Otterbein.

Watzka and the sorority took up the charge last year, organizing an Otterbein chapter of Colleges Against Cancer. The group held its first Relay For Life in May, attracting 290 participants and raising a total of $14,542.

Also in the last school year, the Otterbein chapter of Colleges Against Cancer hosted Breast Cancer Awareness Week, the Great American Smokeout and a skin cancer awareness campaign.

With 10 committee members signed up with Colleges Against Cancer at Otterbein this fall, Watzka said she feels confident the group will continue its work after she graduates.

"We have a lot of freshmen and sophomores, which is good. It will help us continue on," she said.

Heather Gilbert, income development coordinator for the American Cancer Society and the society's staff partner for Otterbein, credits Watzka with the success of Colleges Against Cancer at the Westerville school.

"Without Breanna, Otterbein College would remain an audience untouched by the American Cancer Society," Gilbert said. "Thanks to her, students learned about Relay For Life and the programs and services offered by the American Cancer Society."

Watzka said she's honored to be recognized by the American Cancer Society, something she wasn't expecting.

"It's kind of unreal. I didn't expect to be recognized at all," she said. "It's very humbling."

Upon graduation, Watzka said she hopes to combine her journalism and public relations degree with the experience she's earned working with the American Cancer Society and Colleges Against Cancer.

In addition to volunteering with the American Cancer Society, Watzka serves as president of the CardinalCorps Leaders and coordinates an after-school program at Whittier Elementary School.

jnesbitt@thisweeknews.com