Standing on your feet for fifteen hours straight, dancing to Disney, house or 90’s themed music at 3:30 in the morning, may seem like the most exhausting activity for any college student, looking for a good night beauty sleep before a long weekend. However, on Friday, March 1st and 2nd 2013, students, faculty and local families joined together to “stand for those who can’t” at University of Wisconsin Madison’s annual Dance Marathon.
The Wisconsin Dance Marathon is a student-run philanthropy organization on campus, aiming to raise money for the American Family Children’s Hospital. The event is fifteen hours long, starting from 6:00 pm to 9:00 am, where the participants strive to stand without sitting from sundown to sunup.
Sponsors and participants of this year’s Dance Marathon raised $64,437.21 all of which went directly to the American Family Children’s Hospital.
Throughout the night, participants enjoyed performances from UW’s own student run clubs: Madhatters, Fundamentally Sound and Hypnotiq to name a few. The organized activities brought out the inner kids in these college students as they bounced on a Velcro wall, played dress up in the photo booth and danced with children from the Madison and Children’s Hospital community.
The importance and cause during such an entertaining event was never forgotten as the motto: For Bucky’s Kids, served as a constant reminder of the patients and families fundraised for. Current and old patients of American Family Children’s Hospital told their stories of how the hospital made an impact on their lives and a memorial service was held in memory for those who have passed away this year, as a candle was lit for all 37 children.
Whether you joined a team, donated money, or stayed for the full fifteen hours, every moment made a difference. If you are interested in getting involved with UW Dance Marathon check out their website http://www.widancemarathon.org/. There isn’t a more fun or exciting way to give back to the Madison Community and impact the lives of the children and their families involved with American Family Children’s Hospital than Dance Marathon.