October encapsulates the fall season as the air becomes just a little bit crisper and the days gradually become shorter. The month progresses and we soon find ourselves consumed by thoughts of October 31, a precursor to the Holidays, and the one night children everywhere get to dress up as their favorite characters, filling their bags with a seemingly endless supply of treats.
IlliniThon, the largest charitable organization on campus, took a slightly unconventional approach to Halloween this year with a fundraising event deemed “Trick or Treat for the Kids.” Sami Lange, Community Relations chair for IlliniThon, reported that members of the organization went door-to-door in the neighborhoods of Champaign, Urbana and Savoy, talking with residents of the community about IlliniThon’s philanthropic mission and raising over $6,000 in the process. The accumulated donations will all go toward a grand total which will be announced on April 1 after their Big Event.
Hannah Mansfield, a member of IlliniThon’s social media committee, said, “I was blown away by the amount of money raised! Part of it was from people being so generous, and the hard work put in by going to over 60 houses each.”
Students at the Trick or Treat for the Kids event.
Called TOTFTK for short, the event is held by IlliniThon and several other dance marathon programs every year to benefit kids that aren’t able to go trick-or-treating on Halloween. Frankie Fridman, IlliniThon’s head of Public Relations, said they were able to raise 77% more at this year’s event than in 2015, attributing most of the success to the dedicated members of their 150-strong leadership team and the registered IlliniThon dancers who participated.
“This is my second year on IlliniThon’s executive board, and I am constantly inspired by the members of my team and my committee. It’s clear that everyone goes above and beyond, and it’s so easy when you are doing it for our miracle kids and their families,” she said.
According to IlliniThon’s official website, their organization is a dance marathon program specific to The University of Illinois directly benefiting St. John’s Children’s Hospital in Springfield. They are affiliated with a national organization called Children’s Miracle Network, and while they may be best known for their annual dance marathon event, IlliniThon’s efforts are year-long and extend far beyond just monetary donations.
“College doesn’t seem so tough after you learn about Peyton, who was born at 22 weeks and lost her triplet brother and sister. Or Jax, who has been at home for 10 weeks now – the longest he’s ever been out of the hospital. These journeys are nothing compared to ours, and it’s really made me re-evaluate how much the little things matter, and how miracles are possible,” Fridman said.
She adds that any member of their leadership team would agree that giving back to the Children’s Miracle Network cause and seeing the families that have benefited give back to their organization motivates everyone to work even harder for St. John’s Children’s Hospital.
“Getting to help make such a great event and raise so much money for these wonderful kids is all you could ask for,” Mansfield said. “They are so inspiring and their families are so strong and positive. It makes you grateful for everything and everyone you have in your life.”
Sami Lange announced that On Nov. 7th, IlliniThon will be hosting a “Day of Miracles” in an attempt to raise $20,000 in one day. The organization has already donated more than half a million dollars to St. John’s Children’s Hospital in the past 5 years, while last year alone IlliniThon raised $153,000.
The Big Event, scheduled for April 1st-2nd from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., will celebrate IlliniThon’s devotion to the cause, but especially the kids who make it all worthwhile.
“At the end, we celebrate with a 12-hour dance marathon dedicated to making our miracle children feel like the superstars they are,” says Frankie Fridman. “We are FTK, and we are All In.”
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