Three cheers for the kids! On Friday, March 22, Transylvania University hosted DanceBlue in partnership with the University of Kentucky to raise money for the pediatric Hematology and Oncology clinic at the U.K. Hospital. The event was a dance marathon lasting five hours, packed with music, games, food, and appearances from the U.K. and Transylvania dance teams. Several students even reported spotting some of the faculty, who showed up to bust a few moves on the dance floor. All in all, the event was a great success, not least because of the crowd it drew. But this year’s DanceBlue’s real triumph was its accomplishment of achieving its donation goal for the clinic, both through ticket sales and affiliated fundraisers.
In the week preceding the dance, I was lucky enough to interview Robin Prichard, Transy’s pre-health advisor and organizer of this event, about the university’s role in this fundraiser. According to Prichard, Transylvania University is the first college to partner with the University of Kentucky to host DanceBlue. Plenty of high schools and even middle schools participate in these minimarathons, but Transy is the first ever university to take part. Prichard explained that because this was such an unprecedented event, she and those in administration and the pre-health club were unsure of the response they would get. They projected a donation goal of $3,000 but told their volunteers not to expect much of a response. However, Prichard was happy to report that they raised far more than they were expecting and that she and her students were excited at the enthusiasm both the students and faculty showed toward the event. They ended up going above their goal of $3,000, with over 150 students attending the marathon that night, not to mention the amount of external support they got from other related fundraisers, such as Delta Sigma Phi fraternity’s “Sigatoni’s” philanthropy event the previous night. Many people came together to make this marathon a success, and I think I speak for all those involved when I say that I’m proud of what everyone was able to accomplish in the name of a good cause, not only in fundraising efforts but the precedent we’ve set for any colleges who also wish to be involved with DanceBlue.
Prichard asked me to emphasize that this fundraiser is not a one-time event; DanceBlue accepts donations year-round on their website and one can also volunteer to help with future events or related fundraisers if the opportunity arises. Even sharing the DanceBlue website on social media or with friends can go a long way in supporting this cause. Both Transylvania University and the University of Kentucky are beyond grateful for everyone’s support, but please remember that you can always make a difference, both for the kids and for others, regardless of the circumstances. No matter how you contribute, we’re all grateful for the help.
