OCU will host a six hour Dance Marathon benefitting the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital.
The Dance Marathon is OCU’s largest philanthropy event in terms of fundraising. The event will be from 6 p.m. to midnight April 5 in Henry J. Freede Wellness and Activity Center.
This is the first year OCU will partner with the organization by hosting a dance marathon.
Miracle Network Dance Marathon is a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country. More than $250 million has been raised to help families fight pediatric illnesses and injuries across America, according to the Miracle Network organization.
Preparation for the event began last school year. Camryn Sanders, psychology graduate and director of finance on the organization’s executive board, said they’re preparing by getting people registered for the event, securing sponsorships and planning for the night.
“We’ll be hosting children from the Miracle Children’s Hospital the night of the event,” Sanders said. “We want to not only provide a good experience for the students, but for the kids as well.”
Students can get involved by registering for the event, which costs $20. After signing up, students are given an online fundraising page that shows how much they have personally raised. Each participant is asked to raise $62, representing the 62 children admitted to children’s hospitals every minute in the United States, Sanders said.
Additionally, the organization has partnered with local restaurants to fundraise for the event. Some of these restaurants include Dairy Queen, Chipotlé Mexican Grill, Panera Bread, and an upcoming event with Incredible Pizza the week of the dance marathon.
Ally Zahringer, music junior and director of participant registration, said the organization’s goal is to register about 300 students and raise $15,000 for the cause.
“It’s hard to get people on board with something that we’ve never done before,” Zahringer said. “It’s a campuswide event. We want all students to sign up.”
To register and learn more about the event, students may visit OCU’s page on the Miracle Marathon’s website at events.dancemarathon.com.
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