Dance Marathon helps Riley Hospital

Engraved on the entrance to Riley Hospital are the words, "That they may have life, and have it abundantly." Over 240,000 feet belonging to ill children cross over those words every year. IU Dance Marathon makes it possible for some of those feet to walk across those words without worrying about money.\nThe 12th annual Dance Marathon will get underway Oct. 25. But before the event, organizers work hard to raise money for the hospital. This Sunday, the group is sponsoring a 5K walk/run.\nAllison Morgan, president of IU Dance Marathon, said the purpose of the 5K walk/run is to get students more involved in the organization throughout the year. This is the second annual 5K walk/run. \nRegistration begins at 11 a.m., and the race kicks-off at noon. The $15 entry fee goes to Riley and Participants get a free T-shirt and are to meet at the orange lot of Assembly Hall.\nStudents who are interested in dancing at the actual marathon are encouraged to attend the call-out meeting Sunday at 5:30 p.m. in Ballantine Hall room 109. \n"Anyone that is an IU student can be a dancer," Morgan said.\nThe slogan for this year's event is, "Believing in the gift of tomorrow." \nThe marathon begins at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 25 and will conclude at 8 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 27. There will be plenty of entertainment to keep the dancers awake. This year there will be bands, alternative acts, speakers and games. The bands, which will be coming from all over the Midwest, include X-Ray Roger Jimmy, Three Minute Mile and The Leonards (formerly Kirkwood).\nAlong with the other events of the marathon, the dancers will learn a line dance. The dance will be performed for the Riley kids in attendance at the end of the 36 hours.\nOver the past 11 years, the IU Dance Marathon has raised over $2 million for the Riley Children's Hospital.\nIn 1990, Jill Stewart-Waibel lost a friend to AIDS. She wanted to make a difference. Her friend, Ryan White, had been treated at Riley. With the help of her adviser, Stewart, a new student at IU, created the organization that would eventually pay for the construction of the Ryan White Infectious Disease Center. In 1998, the center was built and a plaque hangs proudly in the hall displaying the name of IUDM.\nThe average cost of one day at Riley is $498 without drugs, surgery, etc. While that is true, no Hoosier child is ever turned away because of an inability to pay. \nRiley receives no direct state aid and relies on private support to expand health care programs and facilities. That's where groups like the IUDM come in. Last year they wrote a check to Riley for $405,412.17. The fund-raising efforts is acknowledged every year at the dance marathon. \nStudents from all over campus get together in the HPER gym for 36 hours. Students dance, eat, play games and show their support for the sick children of Riley.\n"We do it for the children that can't," said Director of Promotions Kate Stone. "These kids often can't even stand up for 36 minutes."\nMany Riley kids will be making appearances throughout the 36-hour marathon. Dancers will have an opportunity to talk, play games and just hang out with the kids. \n"You get a feel for what Riley does and who the kids are," Stone said. \nAfter one year of participation, many students are hooked for the rest of their years here at IU. \n"My freshman year I became involved with Dance Marathon through my house," said Director of Entertainment Brian O'Neill. "After seeing the impact of each dancer on each Riley kid, I knew it was going to be an organization that I would be involved in for the rest of my college career."\nBefore students are allowed to dance, they must raise $200. Most students raise their money by writing letters asking for donations to family, friends and local businesses. \nMorgan said she wants to see more students involved in IU Dance Marathon.\n"I would challenge everyone on campus to either come out and participate or at least become more aware of Riley Hospital," she said.