USF St. Petersburg students, faculty and staff took to the dance floor to raise money for All Children’s Hospital in the school’s second annual Miracle Dance Marathon.
From 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. on March 3, the fundraising event in the University Student Center ballrooms collected $10,068, surpassing this year’s goal of $10,050.
Led by USFSP senior Cynthia Wyre, the marathon’s “morale team” prepared and taught students an energizing dance routine that incorporated songs from various decades starting with the 1960s.
The community service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega raised the most money with $3,396, more than doubling the organization’s goal of $1,500.
USFSP alumni returned to participate in the festivities along with special guests “Beyoncé” (Melanie “Meloncé” Bullock, assistant director of Student Life and Engagement) and “Adele” (Shane Farmer, a graduate assistant at the USC).
Two families that have received All Children’s Hospital services were in attendance. The parents used the opportunity to share their personal stories and thank the dancers for the money they raised.
To help keep the participants energy up during the nine-hour marathon, snacks and food from Chipotle and Westshore Pizza was provided throughout the night.
In Dance Marathon tradition, the school’s “morale team,” lead by USFSP senior Cynthia Wyre, kept everyone hype and energized throughout the night as the group taught dances featuring songs from each decade starting with the ’60s.
While online donations made up a majority of the money raised, there were several ways students were able to donate including the fan-favorite activity “jail.”
Dancers paid “Sheriff Mama Bear,” aka Angela Wilson, if they wanted to “jail” someone.
To get out of jail, participants had to find someone to pay their bail, which would be set at whatever amount was paid to put them in.
Throughout the night, people were jailed from anywhere between $1 to $100, even DJ Fresh, the event’s official DJ, was put in jail.
