2003- Phi Mu and Sigma Alpha Epsilon started BSUDM as a philanthropy event
2008- Turned into a student-run organization, raised $12,808.91
2013- Leadership transitioned to theOffice of Student Life, raised $196,228.20
2015- BSUDM exceeded $500,000 fundraising goal with a total of $502,103.22
Courtesy of bsudm.org
Loud music. Dancing students. Big smiles. All for the kids at Riley Hospital for Children. Ball State Dance Marathon is a 12-hour, student-run event full of games, entertainment and heartfelt stories. Students stay on their feet for 12 hours, following the motto “stand for those who can’t,” and raise as much money as they can to donate to Riley Hospital for Children.
According to the Ball State Dance Marathon website, Ball State donations specifically fund the Magic Castle Cart, a castle full of gifts that are distributed to patients, and the Palliative Care Program, a relief program aimed to improve family well-being. Riley patients get to join the fun as well. The committees that plan the marathon sponsor Riley kids. They come to the event to tell their stories and interact with students.
And, of course, there’s dancing. The Morale Committee works hard to keep the dancers entertained for the entire event.
“We are kind of the hype of the marathon,” said Katie Fletcher, a member of the Morale Committee. “We are the committee that makes sure everyone is energized and having fun.”
The Morale Committee meets every Monday to organize the activities that occur throughout the marathon, such as Riley stories or the talent show. With four subcommittees, Morale plans stage games, acts as Riley ambassadors and choreographs a group line dance.
“It’s my favorite part of every Monday,” Fletcher said.
Kiara Vance, another Morale member, joined to support her sister who is a patient at Riley.
“Something like this allows me to have that part of her here with me when she is not here,” Vance said.
Vance acts as a Riley ambassador for Morale. When it is her assigned week, she brings Riley stories to share with the rest of the committee to remind them why they are dancing. Vance also creates a simplified version of the line dance to teach to the Riley kids at the marathon.
Morale practices to perfect the line dance at every meeting so they are ready to demonstrate at the marathon. Throughout the event, Morale members teach short sections of the line dance in between other entertainment segments. Near the end of the event, the entire room is moving and grooving in the same way.
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