Sarah Barnes never imagined that UNL’s annual Dance Marathon would outgrow the Nebraska Union Ballroom. But after 10 years of food, fun and dancing on the second floor of the union, the marathon has grown to merit a move to a larger space in the Campus Rec Center.
Organizers also hope to shatter last year’s record fundraising number through a new location and time for the event later this month.
Dance Marathon, a nationwide movement involving college and high school students at more than 150 schools across the country, raises money for the Children’s Miracle Network, said Barnes, a UNL senior and student organizer of the event.
For 12 hours, participants dance and do activities with local “miracle children” and their families. Each dancer raises money through donations throughout the year, and each Dance Marathon is entirely student run and donates 100 percent of the proceeds directly to the Children’s Miracle Network, which benefits the Omaha Children’s Hospital and Medical Center.
According to the Dance Marathon website, the events raised more than $8 million in the United States last year. Barnes said that last year, UNL’s event raised $82,500 for the Children’s Hospital in Omaha — the most money raised by UNL since the Dance Marathon started in 2004. The 2012 UNL marathon raised $48,704.
Barnes said the 2014 goal is to raise $100,000 for the Feb. 22 marathon. More than $38,000 has already been gathered.
Throughout the year, the 180 students in charge of planning the event and working with families host fundraisers at Lincoln restaurants, where a percentage of the total from each meal is donated to the Dance Marathon. Fundraisers in the past have also included Lincoln Stars hockey games where a percentage of the ticket sales are donated to the cause, Barnes said.
As the amount of money raised continues to increase, so does student involvement. Last year’s 800 participants was also a UNL record.
“Every year we get more and more students, but last year we had to close registration early because we were at capacity in the union,” Barnes said. “I can’t believe how much it has grown.”
This year, they hope to have enough people in the Rec Center’s gym to make it feel full. A new time for the event — 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. — may also entice more students to register, Barnes said.
But while the venue may be changing, the event is still full of tradition, said Anders Olson, a UNL senior and family relations director for the event.
At the start of the event, each dancer puts on a medical bracelet on which they write what they’re dancing for. It serves as a reminder and keeps them motivated as the night goes on, Olson said.
“At the end of the night, they cut off their bracelets to symbolize a child being well enough to leave the hospital,” he said. “Twelve hours of activity is meant to symbolize the 12 hours of hardship that these kids face every day.”
Activities throughout the event are also a tradition. Dancers have a chance to meet all of the “miracle children” who attend and play games, do crafts and eat meals with the kids and their families.
And, of course, there is lots of dancing, Olson said. The 2014 event will also include a performance by country artist Brynn Marie as well as a few new activities: DJs, a dodge ball tournament and a kids’ talent show.
UNL’s Dance Marathon organizers will host a fundraiser at Noodles and Co. downtown from 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 13 and another at Mellow Mushroom from 5 to 10 p.m. Feb. 20.
Registration for the Dance Marathon is open until 5 p.m. Feb. 20. Those interested can register or donate to DM at http://dm.unl.edu/register.
