BY MADISON MCGHEE

 

It’s 9 in the morning. The smell of coffee fills the large space in the TD Arena on Meeting Street. Volunteers are taking down decorations. The sound crew is packing up the speakers.

But the evening before, a DJ was spinning tunes, a crowd had built into the thousands and the dance marathon was off—13 hours of dancing beneath lasers and party lights, with prizes, food, games and bands. Was it a concert? A huge gathering of friends? It was that and more, for the worthy cause that kept them dancing was the annual benefit for the patients and families of the Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital.

            For the past nine years, the College of Charleston has hosted a Dance Marathon to raise funds and spread awareness about the MUSC Children’s Hospital. “It’s an inventive way to get people’s attention,” says Caroline Kenny, executive director of Dance Marathon, a nationwide philanthropy that raises money for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH).“It allows people to do something exciting besides pulling out their checkbook.”

            The marathon dance is open only to College of Charleston students, and they must pay $150 each to enter. How do they raise the money? Through special online sites, bake sales, car washes and whatever other means they can imagine.

            Although the dance marathons take place in the spring, preparations for Dance Marathon 2016 are already underway, and volunteers are needed to help plan the big event. For more information or to get involved, visit http://dmatcofc.yolasite.com.