On March 5-7 of 2021, Florida State University’s Dance Marathon held a weekend-long fundraising function which raised $1.47 million. Dance Marathon was held at the IM Field at Florida State and was both in-person and virtual this year.
Miranda Torres, the public relations head for Dance Marathon at Florida State, gave her insight on the event, stating the success, logistics of the Dance Marathon, and challenges of hosting the event in the wake of a global pandemic.
“The 2021 Dance Marathon was everything we hoped for and more,” Torres said. Due to COVID-19, this was the first year that the event was both in-person and virtual, and we were not sure how the event was going to turn out. However, we were able to create a successful fundraiser, both on Zoom and in person with a drive-in option.”
The event itself consisted of fun activities and experiences. The virtual participants engaged in online bingo, trivia-based games, and witnessed an appearance from Blaise Ryndes, the bubble contestant from America’s Got Talent. Towards the end, in-person participants engaged in a vehicle parade with appearances from three different DJs.
According to their website, the mission of the group is to provide support and funding for pediatric care in the community of Tallahassee. Torres stated that she was unsure about who this years’ Dance Marathon would go to due to COVID-19. However, the turnout, according to her, was more than they could imagine and was another chance to provide care for children who are immunocompromised.
Edward Pedraja, a sophomore at Florida State University, participated with his fraternity Phi Gamma Delta this year and was able to offer his insight on how the event was carried out and how he and his brothers felt at the event.
“We heard testimony from the parents and the children who receive medical care through the Children’s Miracle Network,” Pedraja said. “These statements touched our hearts and kept us motivated to fundraise for the children. That is truly what Dance Marathon is all about, supporting these kids in need of a miracle.”
Pedraja also offered insight on his fraternity’s involvement with the program, and the dedication Pedraja and his brothers share in raising money for children who need expensive medical treatment.
“Phi Gamma Delta has been the leading IFC fundraising team for the past four years,” he said. “This year, our Fraternity was able to raise $26,813.41 for Children’s Miracle Networks and the Florida State’s College of Medicine’s Pediatric Outreach Program. I am inspired that my Fraternity brothers and I are passionate about raising this money to help children who require medical treatment and advanced research.”
