This November, Creighton students will spend half a day on their feet to raise money for a local cause.
Creighton’s first Dance Marathon celebration will be held on Nov. 21 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. in the Harper Center ballroom. According to the Dance Marathon website, participants stay on their feet for 12 hours, dancing for children who cannot dance themselves due to illnesses or other afflictions.
Dance Marathon Internal Chair and College of Arts and Sciences junior Whitney Coriolan said participants pay a $15 fee that registers them as dancers and gives them access to food and Kickoff parties before the event. Each dancer is given a fundraising goal of $100, and raising a minimum of $50 gets the dancer an event t-shirt.
A collaboration between the Panhellenic Council and the Inter-Fraternity Council of Greek Life (IFC) has brought Dance Marathon — a 12-hour fundraising event benefitting the local Children’s Hospital and Medical Center — to Creighton’s campus. However, Coriolan said that leadership and participation are not limited to members of Greek life.
“We plan to feature many University and community clubs including: dance team, a cappella clubs, athletic teams, University staff and anyone else interested,” Coriolan said. “Anyone and everyone is encouragedto register.”
Margaret Zimmer, assistant director of the Student Leadership & Involvement Center, serves as the advisor for the planning team.
“The Vice Presidents of Mission and Service for the Inter-Fraternity and Panhellenic Councils are the leaders of the planning team, but the planning team is made of up of students from across campus, and we want all students to get involved,” Zimmer said.
According to the Miracle Network Dance Marathon website, more than 250 high schools and colleges nationwide participate in Dance Marathon each year, raising funds for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals in their communities.
We raise funds and awareness for Children’s Miracle Network, but all of the funds raised stay local at our Children’s Hospital and Medical Center just down the road from Creighton,” Coriolan said.
According to Zimmer, representatives from Children’s Hospital — including staff and families — will be present at the event.
“There will be activities all day long for the kids as well as music and costume theme hours,” Zimmer said.
Shea Gallus, a College of Arts and Sciences senior and the Family Relations Committee Head for the event, said that one of her roles will be communicating with the families who come to the marathon.
“Each hour we honor a ‘miracle family’ by giving their testimonial and showing a slide show,” Gallus said. “The families will be with us all day, celebrating and dancing for the kids who can’t.”
Coriolan and Zimmer said their motivation for getting involved in Dance Marathon comes from the patients and the families from Children’s Hospital.
“This event is all about [the children],” Coriolan said. “It is their time to forget about worries, appointments, medication, and simply shine as the beautiful kids they are.”
“Hearing the stories of families who have been treated at our Children’s Hospital inspires me,” Zimmer said. “It is powerful to be a part of their experience by helping raise funds for the extraordinary care they receive.”
Anyone who is interested in participating can pre-register for the event and form or join a team at: http://events.dancemarathon.com/event/creightondm.
Dance Marathon Exec Team members wear their yellow “FTK” (For the Kids) shirts to promote the event.