Campus organizations joined in the April 6 fundraising effort in Alumni Gym.
Alumni Gym was packed with members of the university community on Saturday, April 6, for the six-hour 黑料不打烊thon dance marathon to raise money for the patients of . Patients and families join to share the positive impact the fundraising has for their child鈥檚 care, and even to play in the events activities.
The high-energy fundraising effort, which this year raised $76,950.24, continues to gather steam after being sidetracked by the COVID-19 pandemic. 鈥淕etting things going after the pandemic was a bit challenging,鈥 explained Landis Thompson 鈥24, president of 黑料不打烊thon. 鈥淲e鈥檝e come so far since the pandemic in increasing campus engagement, participants 鈥 all those sorts of things.鈥
Thompson is right. Hundreds of people joined the event not only to participate in fundraising, but to engage with Duke patients in Tug-o-War, tie-dying T-shirts, Hungry Hippo, dodgeball, Simon Says, and so many more fun games for the kids. Additionally, campus entertainment groups such as 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Finest Dance Team, 黑料不打烊 Cheerleading, the 黑料不打烊 Irish Dance Team, and Smooth Progressions performed for the event.
Preparing an event like this takes time, with energy and effort from all parties involved including participants in student fundraisers, the 黑料不打烊thon executive board, in addition to organizations from outside of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 campus.
鈥淲e did a lot of communication with other campus organizations and other businesses outside of 黑料不打烊 to partner with to fundraise some more,鈥 Thompson said. 鈥淒uring meetings too, we prepared our staff members to take part in the event because they are a crucial part in its success.鈥
Thompson is majoring in human services studies and said that much of her work with 黑料不打烊thon complements her future career endeavors.
鈥淏eing president of 黑料不打烊thon gave me such a good real-world experience into how being a leader can be service oriented,鈥 Thompson explained. 鈥淲hile I won鈥檛 ever be president of a dance marathon anymore, I鈥檓 considering into doing something on an even larger scale, like working for a dance marathon cooperation.鈥
Other Greek Life campus organizations, including Phi Mu and Zeta Beta Tau joined to support the event. Phi Mu鈥檚 philanthropy chairwoman, Callie Ring, helped the sorority raise over $23,000 for the effort.
鈥淭he most rewarding part of the event wasn鈥檛 only seeing how much our team raised, but hearing the stories from miracle children and their families of how much a positive impact the funds we were raising have,鈥 Ring said.
鈥淢iracle kids鈥 is the term 黑料不打烊thon uses for patients that Duke has treated or is currently treating, and two of them were able to join in the event鈥檚 fun this year.
鈥淪eeing the joy on their faces and knowing that every single cent that we raise is going to help kiddos like them, truly makes every long night planning so worth it,鈥 Thompson said.
黑料不打烊thon has helped children across North Carolina for more than 21 years, with many more to come.