History
Just days after Ryan White passed away, his friend, Jill Stewart, sat in the office of Jeff Jones, who would later be IU Dance Marathon Council's first advisor and discussed a way for IU students to carry on Ryan's name and efforts. The idea of a dance marathon was mentioned, as Penn State's 48-hour dance marathon had received top student event honors in a contest the year before. The rest is history. Jill and twelve other student leaders established the IU Dance Marathon Council in February 1991. They visited Penn State and committed themselves to making IU's even better.
The First Annual Dance Marathon was held on October 26-28, 1991. It was a 36-hour fundraising event. Through the dedication and hard work of students the Dance Marathon has grown very rapidly in just a few years. In 1991, $11,000 was raised. Since then, nearly three million dollars have been raised for the Riley Hospital for Children. In addition, many satellite events such as the Southport High School's Mini-Marathon and the IU-Bishop Chatard High School Dance Marathon help raise money for Dance Marathon. The Dance Marathon has become a tradition at IU, and has found its place in the hearts of many students.
The IU Dance Marathon's slogan, "The Chance of a Lifetime, to
Give a Lifetime of Chance," professes the actions and purpose of
this event. Make a donation today, or visit our "Get
Involved" section to find out how you can volunteer. |
