User:Sean/DMatUF

Dance Marathon at the University of Florida, commonly referred to as DM at UF, is a two-day Dance Marathon benefitting Shands Hospital for Children at UF, the local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Students at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, Florida, United States stand for 26.2 hours to raise money and awareness each year. It was started in 1995 and has raised $5.3 million dollars for Shands Hospital for Children at UF.

History
After a push from Children’s Miracle Network, the University of Florida launched its version of Dance Marathon in 1995. Based off of the Penn State Dance Marathon, THON, the first Dance Marathon at the University of Florida took place in a ballroom at the J. Wayne Reitz Union, the student union on UF’s campus. In 1997, the event moved to the school’s basketball stadium, the Stephen C. O’Connell Center, to accommodate the growing number of participants.

The original event was 32 hours of standing, which is longer than it’s current duration of 26.2 hours. Dance Marathon at UF features a unique linedance, where Dancers and other participants learn a dance that is performed together throughout the event.

Throughout the ‘90s and the ‘00s, the Dance Marathon participated in the homecoming parade and started a 5K run, both of which still take place today. Throughout the year, Dance Marathon hosted “mini marathons” in which local high schools could catch the DM fever by holding an event similar to Dance Marathon at UF.

In 1999, the layout of the event was revamped: two stages were used in the basketball stadium, and the bleachers were adjusted to make more room on the floor, and new activities were added to the event. The development of standing desks and improvements to the technology used during the event have added to the Dance Marathon experience.

In 2000, the event hit a milestone of $150,000 total dollars raised for Shands Hospital for Children at the University of Florida, a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. In 2002, event housed 621 dancers and raised over $200,000.

2003 marked the year where a community events chair was named for the first time. There was also a split between an external and internal coordinator for the event. The event also had a community advisory board, which consisted of University of Florida President Lombardi and his wife as well as heads of some of the advertisers. In 2006, about 600 dancers participated in Dance Marathon and raised over $361,000. In 2008, Dance Marathon changed the event from 32 hours to 26.2 hours, eliminating liability issues and safety concerns.

2010 marked the start of the “jailbreak” activity at DM. Throughout the event, different organizations can put one of their members in “jail” and set a bail price. The member of their team is not allowed out of jail until they raise a certain amount of money for the event via phone calls and cash donations.

In 2011, The Pepsi Refresh Project at UF announced Dance Marathon at UF as a $15,000 grant winner during a basketball game.

In 2012, Matt Michel became the longest-running Dance Marathon charity participant in the country, for the second time. With more than 800 dancers that year, the event raised over $886,000.

In 2012, one of our Miracle Families, the Pence family, won $23,000 for Shands Hosptial for Children at UF and placed second in the Primrose Schools Family Dance-off competition via votes in an online video competition. This donation is considered the largest single donation the event has ever received. That year, DM at UF received the Event Innovation Award and Best Social Media Campaign at the Dance Marathon Leadership Conference.

Events Throughout the Year
Dance Marathon is a yearlong commitment which includes many fundraising events aimed at reaching out to university students, businesses, and Gainesville residents. Various events are held throughout the year to raise awareness about DM. These events include a bowling tournament, kickball tournament, 5K run/walk, and kickoff event.

Dance Marathon Bowling
The "Making Strikes for Miracles" bowling tournament takes place at the end of the fall semester. Teams of four compete at a local bowling alley, many dressing in costumes to show team spirit. A DJ is in attendance, along with Miracle Families who bowl in the tournament. Many teams participate for a fun night of bowling with friends, while others put on their game faces and compete for a top spot in the tournament. A number of trophies, which are bowling pins painted by the kids at Shands Hospital for Children, are awarded for highest individual score, highest team score, and best costumes.

Dance Marathon Kickball
The Dance Marathon "Kickin' It for the Kids" kickball tournament is held on a weekend the early spring at one of the UF's recreational fields. Teams sign up for a day filled with kickball, music, appearances by Miracle Families and fun.

Running for the Kids
"For The Kids 5K" is an early morning race that takes participants through the beautiful UF campus every spring. Members of the community and students register to enjoy the run and compete for prizes. The event consists of live music broadcasts, fruit and bagels provided by food donors, and students cheering at water stands every half mile to encourage participants. Police block off the roads and a professional timing system sponsors the race to ensure accurate times and places of participant are kept.

Kickoff
The week before the main event, Dance Marathon hosts a party in honor of the kids. Attendees can eat dinner, bring a blanket, and relax on the lawn to enjoy live music, entertainment, and announcements. Those in attendance will receive a meaningful gift from Shands Hospital for Children.

Main Event
Dance Marathon at the University of Florida is a 26.2 hour event consisting games, guest speakers, entertainment and dancing that takes place each spring semester. Since 1997, the event has been held in the Stephen C. O’Connell Center at the University of Florida. Captains, Staff volunteers, and the Overall Chair Team direct the event throughout the entire weekend while Dancers and Miracle Families enjoy the various activities. Each team of captains and volunteers are responsible for different aspects of the event.

Dancers are expected to stay awake and on their feet for the entire weekend, symbolizing the pain children with terminal illnesses experience daily. Although Dancers aren’t able to sleep or sit, they are well-fed with a wide array of food provided by the Hospitality team from various food donors and local restaurants. Several doctors and nurses volunteer their time to staff the event incase any of the dancers need medical assistance. The Morale team and volunteers keep Dancers engaged throughout the event by teaching various sections of the year’s linedance, hosting numerous theme hours with related activities, and create a positive atmosphere for the entire event. The theme hours for 2012 included Around the World, Harry Potter, Oregon Trail, Finding Nemo, Outer Space, ‘90s, Redneck and Winter Wonderland. One of the most anticipated theme hour is the Rave Hour which includes neon glow sticks, lights, and a local DJ. Local artists and Miracle Children encourage Dancers with a variety of performances on stage. Dancers also have the opportunity to study for school and receive academic assistance in the sponsored study room, a silent room with plenty of standing tables and outlets for computers.

The Technology team and the Public Relations team incorporate social media and videos during the 26.2-hour event. In recent years, participants have been able to tweet at Dance Marathon and see it on the large screen in the O’Connell Center. The Technology team has even been able to make live streaming of the event for anyone to view.

Many students, faculty, and alumni visit Dance Marathon at UF during the two-day event. The Public Relations and Recruitment teams provide tours to visitors and introduce them to different aspects of the event. Among the most important guests are the Miracle Families that have benefitted from the services at Shands Hospital for Children at UF. The Family Relations team gets together with the Morale team to create a unique Family Room, located in the Stephen C. O’Connell center. The room allows families to escape their every day lives and the Miracle Children to have fun playing with games and toys.

The event concludes with an emotional closing ceremony. Shands Hospital for Children at UF and Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals representatives and Miracle Families are recognized and thank all of the participants for making miracles happen. Organizations and individuals received awards for the spirit competition. Then, after much anticipation and a memorable 26.2 hours, the final fundraised total is revealed and Dancers are allowed to sit.

Dance Marathon at UF took place on March 31- April 1. It raised $886,726.15, the most money raised to date.

Teams
Art and Layout is responsible for designing any and all graphics needed for Dance Marathon. They maintain the cohesive look of the Dance Marathon at UF brand that is both recognizable and sustainable in all design and graphics.

Community Events is responsible for organizing events which reach out to the Gainesville community, UF students and staff. These events are held both prior to and during Dance Marathon.

Dancer Relations is responsible for taking care of the dancers from registration to the event’s end. These responsibilities include Dancer registration, the spirit competition, dancer meetings, the medical room, event guests, and dancer retention events. They act as the liaison between Dancers and coordinating an in-depth delegate program to ensure Dancers and participating organizations always have updated and accurate information.

Entertainment is responsible for soliciting a variety of entertainment for Dance Marathon, taking care of the entertainers at the event, communicating with the DJ, and organizing cameo presentations.

Family Relations serves as the liaison between Dance Marathon and the Miracle Families. These responsibilities include contacting Miracle Families, organization of the pen pal program, solicitation of hotel rooms, decoration of the family room, and keeping the Miracle Families entertained during the event.

Finance is responsible for keeping track of all the money raised and spent by Dance Marathon throughout the year, and for running dancer registration along with the Dancer Relations committee.

Hospitality is responsible for planning, soliciting, and serving a continuous and consistent flow of snacks and meals to the dancers including those with special dietary needs so as to maintain their motivation, stamina, and nutritional well being throughout the event.

Marketing is responsible for designing a marketing scheme for Dance Marathon as well as soliciting the community and national businesses for monetary and in-kind donations.

Morale is responsible for planning activities, games, and contests to keep the dancers entertained and their spirits high. It is this committee's job to make Dance Marathon an enjoyable experience for all dancers. Their main responsibilities include theme hours, line dance, foot massages, and downtime games. Morale works with all committees to insure that the timing, food, entertainment and more is just right.

Operations is responsible for communicating with the O'Connell Center staff prior to Dance Marathon and for security and strike at the event. They are also responsible for providing security during the event and maintaining the orderliness and cleanliness of the O'Connell Center during the event.

Public Relations is responsible for the promotion of Dance Marathon and all associated events both on campus and in the community. They are also in charge of maintaining a positive relationship with The University of Florida as well as local and state media outlets and hosting members of the media at Dance Marathon.

Recruitment is responsible for the recruitment of dancers, captains, and team members. Recruitment captains work throughout the year to contact campus organizations to schedule and give presentations to get organizations and individuals excited about Dance Marathon.

Technology is responsible for website maintenance, programming projects, video editing projects, and video projection at the event. They are responsible for photographic and video documentation of pre-events and Dance Marathon.