Our beautiful campus has been abuzz the last few weeks as dedicated volunteers have been preparing for Dance Marathon. The final event is this Saturday, and excitment is in the air. If you somehow haven’t heard anything about USCDM, here is the basic concept:
Participants, or “heroes,” register online to dance for 14 hours straight at the Strom Thurmond Fitness & Wellness Center. They each get their own fundraising page where people can donate money to support their efforts. Heroes are strongly encouraged to fundraise on their own before the event. In fact, each hero is required to raise $119 before they are allowed to participate in the main event. The money raised by each hero, in addition to money raised from the past year of USCDM fundraising efforts, goes to the Palmetto Heath Children’s Hospital right here in Columbia. Children from the hospital come to the final event with their families to interact with the participants and give them the motivation they need to stay on their feet for 14 hours.
Cat Sullivan, a junior at USC and past DM participant, explained what the event means to her.
“It’s solidified my entire life’s goal of working in public relations for non-profit organizations. Nothing brings me more joy than working on behalf of others and giving to people in need, and DM has truly been that for me throughout college. It’s what led me to my internship at EdVenture and to the fact that I want to spend the rest of my life serving others, especially children,” said Cat.
Cat Sullivan with one of the Miracle Kids last year at USC’s Dance Marathon
Although the registration was supposed to close a few days ago, Cat says that “DMPM” spots are still open. Registering for DMPM allows you to stop by the Main Event for the finale between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. to witness the line dance and other fun activities. It costs $7 to participate. You can register online.
Everyone agrees one of the most rewarding aspects of Dance Marathon is getting the chance to spend time with the Miracle Kids. These children are patients or former patients of Palmetto Health Children’s Hospital and have incredibly inspiring stories. Each of their biographies can be found on the USCDM website. Cat adds, “Nothing really hits home more than hugging the kids and their parents and seeing exactly where all your hard work is going. Seeing them smile and dance and be so happy despite their circumstances is just so inspiring and makes everything worth it.”
The hashtag #ForTheKids is used on social media throughout the fundraising process. “For The Kids” emphasizes that all of the money goes toward the hospitalized children battling various diseases.
Dance Marathon is one of the largest and most popular events at USC. It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet fellow Gamecocks and give back to our beautiful community in Columbia. If you missed the chance to sign up for the full 14-hour event, you should strongly consider participating next year. After all, Cat says, “you won’t really understand until you’re a part of it. Meeting the kids and seeing their families will change you, I promise you.”
So stop by Strom on Saturday to discover what all the hype is about. Get your dancing shoes on, USC, because Dance Marathon is right around the corner!