Why I Stand – Dance Marathon

Why I Stand – Dance Marathon 2013 written by Stephanie

On April 7^th at 4:00 p.m., there will be tremendous passion, excitement and exhaustion emanating from the Indoor Track and Field Building on the University of Michigan’s campus. As a part of Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan (DMUM), dancers will have just completed the 30-hour no sitting, no sleeping Dance Marathon.  They stand to raise money for pediatric rehabilitation therapies, they stand for children with disabilities and their families in our community and they stand for the friendships they have made; they stand For The Kids.

For me, this will be my fourth and final Dance Marathon; by the end I will have stood for 120 hours in support of this cause. At first, I never believed I could complete this journey- 30 hours seemed too daunting a task, and now I could not imagine spending this weekend in April any other way. I stand for Lauren, Albert and Conner- the dance marathon families that have been paired with my teams throughout the years.  I stand with other dedicated college students that don’t quit and truly put others before themselves. I stand to make a difference on campus and in my community. I stand For The Kids.

I was so inspired by my first marathon experience that I decided to join the leadership team and work to ensure this organization continues to grow and make a large impact on the community. This year serving on the Board of Directors, I have experienced the organization in a different light. Our board has spent countless hours debating our organizational structure, our fundraising strengths and weaknesses and our responsibilities to our community. One of those gifts being our $500,000 pledge to fulfill over the next five years in support of the North Star Reach Treehouse.  There is nothing comparable to visiting camp and seeing where our hard-earned money will be utilized and how this will transform the camp experiences these children get to enjoy. We are college students but we will also have the experience to donate over $500,000 to a cause we are passionate about. We stand For The Kids.

Stand with us on April 6^th and 7^th– Dance Marathon 2013 will start at 10:00 a.m. on April 6^th and conclude at April 7^th at 4:00 p.m. at the Indoor Track and Field Building. For more information, please visit www.dmum.org. Remember, you can stand For The Kids too!