By Paul Kitti

I had no idea what to expect as I approached the Marathon, the largest event of the year for U of M’s Dance Marathon student organization. They had transformed the university’s Indoor Track and Field Building into a colorful landscape of games, music, and of course, dancing.

Dance Marathon is one of the largest non-profit organizations at U of M, and it is entirely student-run. They work year-round to raise awareness and support for children with disabilities, and have made significant contributions to the Mott Children’s Hospital and Beaumont Hospital. Students, community members, and sponsors, along with the children and their families, participate in the Marathon activities while the volunteer dancers stay on their feet for thirty straight hours to show their support for the children.

Every hour, the volunteer dancers would group together and perform a choreographed dance. During the time in between dances, participants could make bracelets, build Lego creations, enter raffles, listen to live bands, or engage in a variety of games. The building was full of positive energy as this community of highly-driven people worked towards reaching the fundraising goals. (Last year, the event raised over $425,000!)

Although the 30-hour Marathon just came to an end, the Dance Marathon volunteers will continue to raise support for disabled children in a variety of ways in the time leading up to next year’s Marathon. You can learn more about this awesome organization through their website: http://www.dmum.org/index.html

*To see more photos from Dance Marathon head over to our blog and check out the fun.