Dance Marathon to Take Place at St. Norbert College

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From St. Norbert College, October 11, 2014
by Erich Wegenke, erich.wegenke@snc.edu, 920-403-3089

St. Norbert College students, faculty and staff will take part in a 13.1-hour dance marathon on Saturday, Oct. 25. The marathon will take place at Schuldes Sports Center on the St. Norbert College campus, and will last from 9 a.m. to 10:06 p.m. Participants will have to remain on their feet for the duration of the marathon, and no caffeine will be allowed. At 13.1 hours, the Dance Marathon is the hourly equivalent of half a running marathon's distance (26.2 miles).

The marathon is a fundraiser on behalf of the Children's Miracle Network, and all proceeds and donations generated by the event will go directly to the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin. As part of the event, local families whose children are treated or were treated by the hospital will speak about their experiences and interact with students.

This is St. Norbert College's second annual dance marathon. It is an entirely student-run event, planned and managed by a student organization of about 40 members.

The first St. Norbert College dance marathon, in 2013, was attended by 232 dancers; 315 students registered as fundraisers. In all, the event raised $21,372.01. With the funds, the Children's Miracle Network purchased a Total Body Cooling Unit -- which has been proven to decrease disability or death in infants born with moderate to severe asphyxia -- and an EKG machine, which is used to monitor the electrical activity of the heart.

The dance marathon's organizers hope to surpass these accomplishments with the 2014 marathon. Their goal is to raise over $30,000 for the hospital, and they hope to have at least 350 students at the event.

For more information on the SNC Dance Marathon, contact Ryan Engesser by phone at 630-945-0093 or by email at dancemarathon@snc.edu, or visit the marathon's website at http://www.helpmakemiracles.org/event/sncdm.