The blizzard may have made getting to the Kay Fredericks Ballroom on Saturday hard, but that did not stop the team behind Hamline’s newly founded Dance Marathon. Hamline University Dance Marathon (HUDM) held this preview event to introduce this event to Hamline students. The organization is student run and created, headed by President Alex Pick, and co-Vice Presidents Alex Molloy and Amanda Jensen. All first-years, the leaders met in their FYSEM “Hamline Without Walls,” and then began to organize with the help of their FYSEM professor Jim Scheibel and campus colleague Ayn Rassier.

Beginning at Indiana University in 1991, the Dance Marathon Program has raised over 100 million dollars for Gillette Children’s Hospitals. Through the Children’s Miracle Network, over 350 colleges and Universities nationwide hold dance marathons every year including ACTC schools Macalaster and St. Thomas. The tagline for Miracle Network’s Dance Marathon is “For the Kids.” Hamline’s Dance Marathon is raising money for Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in St. Paul.

Those that attended the preview event were provided the materials to make cards and blankets that would be given to children in the hospital. Overall there was around 40 cards and 7 blankets made during the event. After everyone had gotten pizza and entered the raffle they had set up, the presentation began with a few words from Rassier and Scheibel. Scheibel commented on how impressed he was by what his students had done, saying “People are big citizens.” Then, President Pick presented a few videos from Gillette Children’s Miracle Network to demonstrate the good that can be done through this organization.  

After the introductory presentation, first-years Kate Malanaphy and Kia Brown performed. With her soaring voice Brown sang “Take Me or Leave Me” from the musical Rent and Whitney Houston’s “I Have Nothing.” Remembering Brown from The Big Show at the beginning of the year, they asked her to perform at this event. When asked about the event Brown said, “I think it’s a really good cause.” Malanaphy sang Hozier’s “Cherry Wine,” Bowie’s “Space Oddity,” and an original song. After the music, Zumba instructor Khadijah Marie Pierce led those in attendance in a few dances. To end the event they announced the winners of the raffle items, which included a self-care kit, coffee, electronics, gift cards, and a movie night set with DVDs and a blanket.

The first official Dance Marathon will not be held until Spring 2019, but in the time leading up to it there will be more events to raise awareness and recruit dancers. Though these ambitious first-years have a lot of work ahead of them, the team is confident that they’ll be making a difference. As of the preview event HUDM has raised $503. You can find the link to donate on their Facebook page.