Some Dance Marathon committee members after reviewing this year's event. Photo by Monica Papworth.
The Western Carolina University Dance Marathon committee members have already started to look toward next year’s event in order to work to make the event better. They are reviewing what worked well at the second annual Dance Marathon this year, and what they want to change for next year.
This year the WCU Dance Marathon nearly doubled the amount of money raised. Last year Dance Marathon raised $8,210.49, and this year they raised a total of $16,367.50 for the Children’s Miracle Network. Also, funds are continuing to come in as donations. The money raised goes directly to the Greeneville Children’s Hospital in Greeneville, South Carolina.
“I really enjoyed the final reveal of how much money we raised this year for the Greeneville Children’s Hospital,” said this year’s Dancer Relation and Morale Chair, Sarah Frymark.
Although this Dance Marathon raised more money than last year, there are some things the committee wants to see improved for next year. Some of the things the committee wants to see for next year are: more inflatable equipment at the event, advertising more to students, possibly lowering registration fee for participants, posting a schedule of events at Dance Marathon, changing the sign-in flow of traffic, having more volunteers to help at the event, and having different color shirts for the volunteers so they stand out.
“I wish our campus would get more involved. I think students don’t realize the impact that Dance Marathon makes,” said this year’s Community Outreach Chair, Ashton Binkley.
One of the committee’s goals for next year is to get more students involved with Dance Marathon. They are making plans to advertise more directly to students living in the residence halls.
“We really want to push to get more non-Greek affiliated students at the event, and to support Dance Marathon,” said this year’s Assistant Director of Internal Affairs, Daniel Baker.
There have been talks of hosting future Dance Marathon’s in the Ramsey Center, instead of the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center once the numbers of students involved increases.
April 1 is Student Appreciation Day, and to kick off the events on the University Center lawn, some of the Dance Marathon committee members and participants will exhibit the dance they learned at the event. The committee hopes this will help spread the word about Dance Marathon by showing fellow Catamounts some of what goes on at the event. The date of next year’s Dance Marathon will be released soon, and the new committee will be elected and begin the planning process.
“My favorite part of Dance Marathon this year was having some of the families whose children had been at the Greeneville Children’s Hospital at our event to share their stories. It was so awesome to see the kids having fun and really enjoying themselves during Dance Marathon,” said the Assistant Director for Leadership Programs, Tacquice Wiggan.
