They’re top college sports rivals but when it comes to helping sick kids, Iowa State and Iowa are united allies. Hundreds of I.S.U. students are taking part in a dance marathon on the Ames campus today that will benefit the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital in Iowa City.
I.S.U. student Lindsay Lomer is helping organize the event. She says there are 950 dancers signed up for the 15-hour marathon, which begins at 9 AM and runs until midnight. Lomer says there will be a wide variety of things to do during the dance and an electronics store has donated a host of TVs, video games and other products.
Several family members and children who’ve been treated at the hospital will be at the event in hopes of inspiring the dancers to keep moving. “Hearing these families’ stories and how much Dance Marathon has impacted their life and how great the hospital was (is) really motivational,” Lomer says. Last year’s event at I.S.U. hauled in around $171,000 for the Iowa City medical facility. Since the number of dancers has jumped up significantly from a year ago, Lomer is hoping for a bigger take at this year’s marathon.
She says there were about 500 dancers last year, compared to more than 900 this year. Since its beginning, Dance Marathon has raised a total of $1.3 million. It is Iowa State’s largest student-run philanthropic event. Lomer, a student from Maple Grove, Minnesota, says contributions can also be made online: “www.dm.stuorg.iastate.edu”
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City