2008 Woodie Awards
Dance Marathon, Part One: Students get on their feet and dance to raise money 'for the kids'
By: Steve Kunkler
Issue date: 3/25/08 Section: Campus
One team. One dream.
That's the theme of the University's 13th annual Dance Marathon, an event to be held on March 29 that brings together more than 1,000 students each year in the name of a common goal: to raise money for the St. Vincent's Childrens Hospital in Toledo.
This year's theme was selected to exemplify the teamwork Dance Marathon brings out, Dance Marathon Director Erin Small said.
"We like how the campus can come together as one and work together for an amazing cause," she said.
For this year's event - and many in the past - students have sponsored fundraisers, worked to get donations and made countless phone calls.
On Thursday some of them will begin a four-day bike ride from Cincinnati to Bowling Green, and on Saturday, others will be dancing and cheering each other on for 32 hours.
Last year, they raised $194,660.22. They hope to surpass that amount this year.
The money raised will be used to provide equipment, education, research and treatment of children in Northwest Ohio, said senior Mika Johnson, entertainment chair for the event.
Ten area families with ailing children - to be introduced in a story in tomorrow's BG News - serve to inspire the student fundraisers.
Despite the 32-hour dancing session, Johnson said she hopes the community realizes what the large event is all about: the children.
"I want people to know the money goes to a good cause, and it goes for more than just toys or games it provides equipment for the hospital, and rehabilitation activities for the children," she said.
Senior Joseph Goree said students involved in Dance Marathon get a lot out of the experience too.
"Dance Marathon can be just as rewarding for the people involved as it is for the kids," he said.
Senior Alicia Crawford said she hopes this year's event will inspire more students to get involved next year.
"I hope that this year we reach out to a larger group of people, that we want to come to the event and spread information about the Children's Miracle Network," Crawford said.
The Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization, has helped to raise nearly a billion dollars for children in need of hospital care since its founding in 1983.
Dance Marathon isn't just a BGSU phenomenon. The University of Iowa, the University of California - Los Angeles and the University of North Carolina - among others - also sponsor similar events. The amount of money raised by each one of the events goes towards a local area hospital.
That's the theme of the University's 13th annual Dance Marathon, an event to be held on March 29 that brings together more than 1,000 students each year in the name of a common goal: to raise money for the St. Vincent's Childrens Hospital in Toledo.
This year's theme was selected to exemplify the teamwork Dance Marathon brings out, Dance Marathon Director Erin Small said.
"We like how the campus can come together as one and work together for an amazing cause," she said.
For this year's event - and many in the past - students have sponsored fundraisers, worked to get donations and made countless phone calls.
On Thursday some of them will begin a four-day bike ride from Cincinnati to Bowling Green, and on Saturday, others will be dancing and cheering each other on for 32 hours.
Last year, they raised $194,660.22. They hope to surpass that amount this year.
The money raised will be used to provide equipment, education, research and treatment of children in Northwest Ohio, said senior Mika Johnson, entertainment chair for the event.
Ten area families with ailing children - to be introduced in a story in tomorrow's BG News - serve to inspire the student fundraisers.
Despite the 32-hour dancing session, Johnson said she hopes the community realizes what the large event is all about: the children.
"I want people to know the money goes to a good cause, and it goes for more than just toys or games it provides equipment for the hospital, and rehabilitation activities for the children," she said.
Senior Joseph Goree said students involved in Dance Marathon get a lot out of the experience too.
"Dance Marathon can be just as rewarding for the people involved as it is for the kids," he said.
Senior Alicia Crawford said she hopes this year's event will inspire more students to get involved next year.
"I hope that this year we reach out to a larger group of people, that we want to come to the event and spread information about the Children's Miracle Network," Crawford said.
The Children's Miracle Network, a non-profit organization, has helped to raise nearly a billion dollars for children in need of hospital care since its founding in 1983.
Dance Marathon isn't just a BGSU phenomenon. The University of Iowa, the University of California - Los Angeles and the University of North Carolina - among others - also sponsor similar events. The amount of money raised by each one of the events goes towards a local area hospital.
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