By ALYSSA ANN ALFANO
Student Contributor
Twenty-four hours of dancing, 120 miles of biking and many months of fundraising all for the children and families at Mercy Children’s Hospital in Toledo.
Leading up to Ziggython, the main event in April, BGSU’s Dance Marathon does a lot of fundraising. The benefit dinner, held on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m., is a good example of the work they do throughout the year.
Student tickets for the event were $30 per person or $250 dollars for a table that seats 10 people. For people who are not students, tickets were $40 per person or $350 dollars for a table that seats 10.
In addition to ticket sales, Dance Marathon also raised money from t-shirt sales a raffle and bidding on gift baskets. Raffle tickets cost $1 and provided dinner guests with the opportunity to win prizes and gift baskets.
Guests at the events could purchase raffle tickets and t-shirts at the beginning of the event and the raffle took place after the event.
Dinner was served buffet style. Tables were sent to get food one by one and once all the guests were seated again, the event moved on while guests ate.
Throughout the evening, several members of Dance Marathon and staff members from Mercy Children’s Hospital spoke about how working with the hospital and Dance Marathon has affected them and how they got involved.
In addition, a few of the miracle families spoke about their kids, their story, and about how Dance Marathon benefited and affected them.
One of the miracle families who spoke were the Osborns. They spoke about their daughter who was hospitalized a few years ago. They spoke a lot about how the doctors and nurses were able and willing to make them feel calm in the uncertainty of their situation.
The nurses also connected with their daughter and helped her feel more comfortable. In addition to this, the hospital also provides toys and movies such as frozen so that the children feel a little less like they are in the hospital and can have a little fun.
Several videos were played as well. Clips from the staff and patients at the hospital and videos from past Ziggythons were shown. Several students also performed songs including “My Wish” and “I Hope You Dance.”
Dance Marathon and Bike For Tikes will be holding many more fundraising events throughout the semester, and students involved with the organization are asked to fundraise individually as well. So, there will be many more opportunities to donate and get involved.
