Marquette’s Dance Marathon Stands for Those Who Can’t
It’s really a sight to see when a group of people comes together to stand in solidarity for others. It’s even better when that group of people happens to raise $84,000 in the process.
Dance Marathon Marquette is an organization that works year-round to raise money for Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin, the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Their hard work culminates in a campus-wide event: an 8-hour dance marathon with a steep fundraising goal and a challenge: no caffeine and no sitting down for the entirety of the event.
Dance Marathon has always been a student-led effort; the first dance marathon was hosted in 1991 at Indiana University in remembrance of a fellow student who had passed away from HIV/AIDS. Today, the money garnered from each chapter of the Dance Marathon organization goes directly to the school’s local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. As a greater organization, Dance Marathon raised $26 million in 2016 alone For The Kids (FTK).
This year, Dance Marathon Marquette had a goal of $75,000. In the months leading up to the Big Event, dancers signed up alone or on teams to raise money in anticipation of the 8-hour event. Teams were representative of various groups on campus, with Alpha Phi being the highest fundraising team across campus.
Ultimately, Dance Marathon exceeded their fundraising goal of $75,000 for the Big Event, raising $84,003.14 for the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin. This massive success is a testament to the resilience of the kids who are affected by illness and their families, and to the capability of a group of people to make genuine change when they come together and stand in solidarity for others.