First-ever Dance Marathon to be held on campus

Phi Mu Kappa Eta is hosting the first Dance Marathon held at Nicholls State on November 12 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Cotillion Ballroom.

The Dance Marathon is a fundraiser event that will benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH), which is Phi Mu’s national philanthropy. The event will include dancing, activities, music, food and more. The money raised will specifically go to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.

Rae Ledet, philanthropy chairman for the Kappa Eta chapter and human resources and management major, put the event together.

“I went to LSU’s Dance Marathon and the energy that [the] place had was amazing,” Ledet said. “You say you won’t leave with tears in your eyes, but you totally do because everyone is coming together and sharing stories. That is what I am hoping that this event can be for us even though we are a smaller school.”

Families from Children’s Hospital will be at the event to share their own experiences and miracle stories.

“This is one of the best ways to give back,” Ledet said. “You get to directly see where your money is going to. It is so empowering.”

There will be a three-minute morale dance at the end of each hour to keep everyone energized and motivated to keep going. There will also be different fundraising challenges during the event.

“For example, Band-aids at Children’s Hospital are so many thousands of dollars because they go through so many,” Ledet said. “We can get on for an hour and challenge everyone at the event to call up their friends and families to raise this money because that is what the hospital needs right now. You will be able to see exactly where your money is going.”

Ledet said she set the fundraising goal at $10,000 dollars, but any effort made will be more than enough.

Phi Mu had set up tables in the union the past week for students to sign up or donate to the event.

“Students here are awesome,” Ledet said. “Even if they don’t sign up for the event, they are still donating. All we want is for people to be involved even if they can’t be there.”

Ledet said that her main goal is to make sure everyone has fun at Dance Marathon.

It costs $15 to sign up for the event, which includes a T-shirt and food. Participants can sign up as an individual or as part of a team. Check-in will begin at 9 a.m.

Phi Mu holds other events throughout the year to raise money for CMNH. Dodge-a-Palooza, one of their main events held in the spring, is a big dodgeball tournament. $20,000 was raised at the last Dodge-a-Palooza event.

Members of the sorority also go on visits to Children’s Hospital in New Orleans to spend time with some of the kids each semester.
You can sign up for the Dance Marathon at http://events.dancemarathon.com/.