We Stand for Those Who Can't

The Beginning of Something Great

I am a Chi Omega - a sorority that was founded at the University I attend. Every year my University puts on a huge event called Dance Marathon. It's huge, the committees spend all year planning for it, throughout the summer and everything. What is it? Dance Marathon? Ok, get ready for this: it's a philanthropy for the Children's Miracle Network, in which a group of people register as either Dancers, Moralers, or Bikers. The dancers of the event stand for THIRTY-TWO HOURS STRAIGHT. Yes, you read that correctly. Thirty-two hours of no sitting (well, besides to go to the restroom). The Moralers are the supporters of the dancers, they come for SIXTEEN HOURS STRAIGHT and cheer on the dancers (because trust me, at about 5am we are really needing that support). The bikers, here's the big one, bike for 180 MILES. Crazy? YES! They bike for 180 miles, rain or snow, from Cincinnati back to Toledo. 

So why do we do this? 

FTK - for the kids.

My fellow dancers and I, and our Miracle Child, Brent

I was a dancer this year for the first time. It was the most rewarding, humbling, hurtful experience I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. We started on Saturday morning at 10am sharp. The event lasts from 10am Saturday morning, to 6pm Sunday evening, and us dancers are standing the entire time. 

Becca (left) and Me (right)

It wasn't by any means easy to stand for 32 hours... 

Me (Twenty hours in, twelve left to go)

...But it was easy to remember why we were doing it. During the event they had all of the Miracle Children running around, playing with the dancers and moralers, and we got to see first hand why we were there. Kids in wheelchairs, kids with no arms, kids with down-syndrome running around HAPPY. They were happy. They go through so much, so many needles, so many hospital visits, so much pain, yet they find a way to be children, they find time to be happy and play. That my friends, is why I stood for 32 hours. Because once my pain was over, was I got to sit and soak my swollen raw feet, those kids had to go back to the hospital and go through more pain, and they will have to deal with that pain for the rest of their lives. It was a rewarding experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

They had a lot of activities for us while we were there, SicSic (a spirit committee at our University) painted us a sign.   

 Becca (left) Tricia (middle) Me (middle) Stacey (right)

The moralers helped more than they realized. They brought us drinks, food, and even massaged our nasty feet.

Us dancers and our pink moral captain!

Thirty hours in, we're exhausted and ready to collapse, they send in the bikers! They just got back from their 180 mile bike ride and we create a HUGE tunnel for them to run through. They are all so excited, and we're all crying because we're so unbelievably proud of them.

The tunnel for the bikers

Two hours later we get to see how much money we raised for the Children's Miracle Network - finally, the end. Overall we ended up raising $250,795.96. Pretty impressive, yes? This is the point where we countdown to the final minute, and we get to collapse onto the ground while balloons drop down from the ceiling. We're all engulfed in balloons and tears, so proud of what we raised, what we just did.

Left to right: Tricia, Melissa, Ilyse, Stacey, Becca, Me

I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything in the world. No matter how hard it was. If any of you EVER have the chance or opportunity to do something like this, I would highly recommend participating. 

That's bucket list worthy, wouldn't you say?

lico,

Megan