By: Monica Welch ~Staff Writer~
Xavier University Dance Marathon (XUDM) is inviting students to participate in a full afternoon of dancing and fundraising for the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
Now in its eighth year, XUDM continues to raise money for families that cannot afford treatment costs for their children.
As their “For the Kids” slogan suggests, the money raised goes to the Children’s Miracle Network, which distributes money to children’s hospitals across the nation, including the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, in order to support families in need.
In the past, XUDM has raised approximately $4,000 each year.
“Our goal is $5,000, an extra $1,000 (from last year’s donations), but we’ve already raised $2,000 from Kroger from our event in the fall and from donations online,” XUDM Co-Chair Emily Roell said.
DJ SAB from Cincinnati’s Kiss 107 will be the DJ for the marathon.
Through the focus of the event this year will be on the dancing, there will also be cookie decorating, Wii’s “Just Dance,” a 20 minute Zumba session at 4 p.m., a visit from the Xavier mascots, a bounce house, a photo booth and a raffle.
Raffle prizes will include a Samsung tablet, tickets to the Cincinnati Reds, Kings Island and the Newport Aquarium, gift cards to various restaurants and a subscription to Yoga Alive.
There will also be different foods served throughout the event, including Piada, Noodles & Co., Chipotle, Naked Pizza, Yagööt, Buffalo Wild Wings and sub sandwiches.
“We have families from Children’s come in and share their stories at the top of each hour,” XUDM Co-Chair Lindsey Derstadt said.
There will be eight families
By Monica Welch
Staff Writer
Students to host dance marathonin attendance this year with children coming from a diverse background, including a three-year-old and a Xavier first-year.
The Dance Marathon will take place from 3 to 9 p.m. on Feb. 22 in the O’Connor Sports Center.
To participate, students can register directly and receive an extra raffle ticket at the XUDM table from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. all week in the Gallagher Student Center or from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21 outside the Hoff Dining Commons.
If students do not pre-register, they can pay $5 at the door and receive a raffle ticket. T-shirts will be $5 and raffle tickets will be $1.
Raffle tickets will also be randomly handed out throughout the event to dancers.
Students who raise $20 via email fundraising can get into the event for free and receive a free T-shirt or five free raffle tickets.
“Every year we hope for more and more people. Every year it’s gotten bigger, and we’ve raised more money each year,” Derstadt said.
For more information, visit the marathon’s website at http://www.helpmakemiracles.org/event/xudm.