Jaime Heede (Class of 2017) participated in this year’s Saint Louis University Dance Marathon on the executive board as co-chair of catering and Moral Captain. With an encouraging total of over $63,000 funds raised and 435 participants, we can’t help but be proud of everyone who worked to make SLUDM a success. Read Jaime’s article to see how she became interested in doing all of this “for the kids!”
Saint Louis University Dance Marathon was a huge success! In only its second year on the Saint Louis University campus, the yearlong fundraising efforts for Children’s Miracle Network of Greater St. Louis culminated in a twelve hour event in the Wool Ballrooms and started on Saturday November 17th at 3pm. The event was full of tons of fun, friends, performances, music and dancing, a choreographed line dance, food, and stories from formerly hospitalized children and their families. One of the mottos of Dance Marathon is “we stand for those who can’t”; thus, participants stand the entire twelve hours of the event to honor the children currently being treated by Children’s Miracle Network hospitals. A second motto is “For the Kids” or simply, “FTK” which sums up why so many dedicate their time and money towards such a worthy cause that affects the local community. The funds raised this year totaled over $63,000, more than doubling the event’s first year total. That sum will be split equally between St. Louis Children’s Hospital and SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center. This year we had 435 participants who helped us to make the night of the event wonderful, as well as raise the incredible amount of money that we did.
On a more personal note, this year I had the opportunity to take my experience with Dance Marathon to the next level by becoming a member of the executive board as a co-chair of catering. It was my job to ensure that all the dancers had plenty to eat and drink to keep fueled for the duration of the event. My responsibilities included contacting food vendors and restaurants to obtain donations. At the event we had pizza, sub sandwiches, a nacho bar, snow cones, popcorn, cotton candy, fruit, snacks, sliders, and bagels. This level of involvement granted me one-on-one contact with children treated at the two hospitals SLU Dance Marathon supports as well as visits of those two facilities.
My involvement in SLU Dance Marathon has included being a Moral Captain (teaching the line dance at the event) as well as my position on the board. I love having the opportunity to truly make a difference in the lives of kids who have been hospitalized. My knowledge of physical therapy and health care has made me even more passionate about what this organization stands for and will make me a better professional in the future. Hearing the stories of the families in attendance at the event is such an inspiring time that humbles me and motivates me to be the hope for a child I may care for in the future.
Mark your calendars for SLU Dance Marathon 2013 on November 16th! And to keep up to date with other SLU Dance Marathon events and information, be sure to check out our website (http://sludm.org), like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!
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