University News

WIU Dance Marathon Raises Over $135k "For the Kids"

February 26, 2018

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MACOMB, IL – There is a Chinese saying that goes: "If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody." For centuries, the greatest thinkers have suggested the same thing: Happiness is found in helping others.

The students involved in Western Illinois University's Dance Marathon (DM) must be incredibly happy today. The student organization raised over $135,000 – with $83,000 of that total being raised in the last 30 days alone (and $42,000 of that $83k at Saturday's event!) – for the fifth annual Dance Marathon, a yearlong fundraising campaign for CMNH St. Louis Children's Hospital and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children's Medical Center. The effort culminated in a 12-hour event Feb. 24 on the Macomb campus. At the stroke of midnight, at the event's end, the grand total was revealed: $133,439.05. Additional donations continue to come in, according to Nick Katz, co-adviser of WIU DM.

The $135,000 raised during the 2017-2018 Dance Marathon pushed Western's five-year total to nearly half-a-million dollars ($405,000). The 2017 event raised $123,000; the 2016 event raised $70,800; the 2015 event raised $53,000; and the inaugural event in 2014 raised $22,000. The 12-hour dance marathon honors the 12-hour shifts of doctors and nurses, as well as children who are unable to stand.

"Words cannot express our pride and admiration for these students and our WIU community. Thank you to our wonderful students, their families, friends and the many anonymous donors, who helped raise funds for this worthwhile organization," said WIU Dance Marathon Co-Adviser Ashley Katz.

Throughout the event, Miracle Families – families whose children have been, and are being, treated – at CMNH spoke about their journeys and their trials, tribulations and triumphs.

"Hearing the families speak and tell their stories was probably one of my favorite parts of the night, and I really loved seeing the participants' reactions. They were inspired and motivated by all of the stories they heard throughout the 12 hours. It pushed them to do everything in their power to help the kids at Children's Miracle Network Hospitals," said WIU DM President Mackenzie Lyons. "I can't wait to come back for next year's event and help them raise an amazing amount for the kids, just like we did this year!"

Planning for the sixth annual WIU Dance Marathon begins immediately, according to Nick Katz. The 2019 event is scheduled for March 30, 2019. Applications for the 2018-19 Dance Marathon Executive Board will be available on Purple Post. Leadership team applications, which are due by Sunday, March 4, are available at tinyurl.com/dmleadershipteam. Additonal executive board position applications, due Sunday, March 18, will be available Monday, March 5 at tinyurl.com/dmeboard. Applications for committee members will be available in April.

"Thank you again to our students and our many donors," Nick added. "Western Illinois University is making a difference and living our core value of social responsibility, not just through this event, but each and every day."

Additional details can be found on the WIU Dance Marathon Facebook page at http://on.fb.me/1Qj4L4K.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing