In case you didn’t know, last year a group of students at Cal Poly decided to work together to start an annual event, the Cal Poly Dance Marathon, to fundraise for something bigger than themselves – the Cottage Children’s Medical Center, a hospital associated with the Children’s Miracle Network. CMN is a nonprofit that raises funds for hospitals across the United States and Canada to offer treatments to sick children whose families might not otherwise be able to afford it. Last year the Cal Poly Dance Marathon raised over $36,000 to help them get the treatments they need, and on February 9, they want you to join them in dancing for 12 hours to fundraise for the kids! Not sold on the idea of dancing for 12 hours? Read on for seven reasons you should join the Cal Poly Dance Marathon today:
Free food!
Â
If  there’s any words that a college student loves to hear, it’s “free food”, and you’ll be hearing it a lot at the Cal Poly Dance Marathon. Local businesses and restaurants donate lots of food to the event, to help keep dancers energized all night long. But if that’s not enough to convince you, consider that you’ll also get…
Awesome dance lessons from the Dance Marathon Team
Â
Don’t know how to dance? No problem! Throughout the night, the Cal Poly Dance Marathon leadership team will be offering dance lessons to help get you moving and grooving to the beat. Last year, there were line dancing lessons offered by employees from The Grad, ballroom dance presentations by the Cal Poly Ballroom Team, and a special performance by the Gamma Phi Beta dance team, winner of the 2016 Best Sorority Dance Crew award!
Hear the stories of the lives you touch.
Â
Cal Poly will be inviting children and families from the local Children’s Miracle Network hospital, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, to come visit the dance marathon and tell participants how their lives have been impacted by the Children’s Miracle Network and their amazing team. You’ll have an opportunity to meet these kids, play fun games and dance with them at the event, all while they inspire participants to continue dancing through the night in support of this organization.
You’ll build connections not only with college students at Cal Poly, but across the nation.
Â
That’s right, Cal Poly isn’t the only school that hosts a Dance Marathon. Over 300 schools across the nation host these events every year, with some dancing for as long as 72 hours. Many students from other schools come visit Cal Poly during our Dance Marathon, and if you join this organization, you might have the chance to go visit other schools when they host theirs!
You can complete service hour requirements
Â
In just one night, you can complete 12 hours of service at one of the best events of the year! If you’re required to complete community service hours for a club, class, or your sorority, this is a great way to do it. Not only will you get your community service hours, you’ll get to have fun dancing the night away with your friends while you do it.
You can help raise millions for an incredible organization
Â
Yes, you read that right. In 2016 alone, Dance Marathons across the nation collectively raised $31.4 million for 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals across the nation, helping them treat more and more sick and injured kids every day. This year, the Cal Poly Dance Marathon team hopes to raise $62,000 for the Cottage Children’s Medical Center.
You get to learn what it means to be #FTK
Â
At the end of the day, everything you do at the Cal Poly Dance Marathon is #FTK – for the kids! 100% of the money raised by participants at the Cal Poly Dance Marathon is donated to the Children’s Cottage Medical Center to help them continue their mission of treating sick children across America. With 62 children checking into a CMN hospital every minute, but with your help, we can achieve it.
Dancing for 12 hours can seem like a pretty intimidating challenge, but at the end of the night, you’ll be glad you did it. The Cal Poly Dance Marathon is one of the most inspiring events put on by the students of Cal Poly, and last year’s participants can tell you it’s absolutely worth every minute. It will give you an opportunity to meet some amazing people, make new friends, and most importantly, dance (and fundraise!) for the children who can’t. So take the first step in this incredible journey and sign up to join the Cal Poly Dance Marathon today!