Dance Marathon raises $427,350 for University of Iowa Children’s Hospital
Photo: Grace Steenhagen/Iowa State Daily
The Dance Marathon committee leads all the dancers in the 2014 morale dance, a number choreographed to a huge mashup of songs to get everyone excited. The students of Iowa State came together again this year in the 2014 Dance Marathon to raise money for children with health problems. All the funds raised were donated to the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
January 26, 2014
Iowa State University’s Dance Marathon took over the Memorial Union from 9 a.m. to midnight Saturday, Jan. 25 for the sole purpose of celebrating the kids.
This year Iowa State Dance Marathon raised $427,350.17 to support children at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
The event kicked off with a large run-in celebration followed by an honoring of those children who had passed away while receiving treatment at the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital.
Throughout the day, participants danced hand-in-hand with the kids while seeing many activities, including concerts by Jamie Lono and Paradise Fears.
Each hour, a different family was able to share their personal story about what Dance Marathon meant to them and describe the highs and lows of their experience while receiving treatments at the University of Iowa.
“These kids have been through a lot and to just see them here is amazing,” said Jeff Luhr, senior in physiology and co-officer of logistics. “They are always smiling, always having a good time no matter what they are going through, they could be at the hospital yesterday and they are here today with a big smile cheering you on and having a good time.”
The families who attended Dance Marathon were honored throughout the day. Many miracle kids performed in a talent show midway through the day.
To wrap up the days events, the traditional power hour of dancing started at 10 p.m. and was followed by a thank you circle and finally, the unveiling of the total number raised within the year.
