ISU students will be dancing the day away this fall during Dance Marathon, an annual fund-raiser for Iowa children and families dealing with life-threatening diseases and illnesses. Recruitment has already begun for Dance Marathon 2000, which raised over $100,000 last year. The fund-raiser is sponsored by the Children’s Miracle Network and treats participants to live bands and a variety of entertainment during the 15-hour event. Michael Kremer, Dance Marathon recruitment director, said organizers have started promoting the event early. “We have set a goal of at least 500 dancers to participate, and we already have that many people interested,” said Kremer, junior in marketing. “We started recruiting at the end of last year by handing out candy and information to get Dance Marathon out there and visible. This year we have already hit New Student Days, WelcomeFest and ClubFest informing students about the event.” Dance Marathon booths will be located north of the Campanile from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday of next week. Students can receive more information or sign up for the Nov. 11 event. Booths will also be located outside the Hub from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday and Friday. “This is perhaps no greater all-university philanthropy than Dance Marathon,” said Brian Tenclinger, Dance Marathon faculty adviser. “It provides emotional and financial support to central Iowa families who have children battling life-threatening diseases.” Money for the event is raised by private donations, corporate sponsors and marathon dancers who are required to raise $150 to participate. Volunteers are also needed for the day-long activity, but they do not need to raise money or stay the full 15 hours like the dance participants. Tracie Mayberry, member of the recruitment committee, said it is usually very easy to raise money for the event. “Many people are willing to donate because it is helping such a good cause,” said Mayberry, junior in journalism and mass communication. Dance participants are put into different teams and coached by a morale captain who is a member of the Dance Marathon Executive Committee. Teams sometimes consist of residence hall floors, fraternities and sororities and on- or off-campus organizations and businesses. “There is a lot of interaction between the group, the moral captain and the child,” said Katie Meimann, a morale captain. “Dance Marathon is great because you get to actually see with your own eyes where the money is going and it makes it so much more worthwhile.”