Day of Hope 2022

By Sofia Goldstein

There’s not much that can get college students out of bed at 6:30 AM – but Day of Hope can.

First thing in the morning on Thursday, September 22, all 18 IUDM committees gathered at Monroe Lake to watch the sunrise over the water. They leaned on each other, watching the light spread across the sky. It was the dawn of Day of Hope 2022: IUDM’s biggest fundraising day of the year.

Each year, committees and dancers come together in the Indiana Memorial Union’s Alumni Hall for nearly 24 hours. This time is spent fundraising for Riley Hospital for Children, participating in games and activities, dancing, and celebrating the friendships IUDM creates. Day of Hope 2022 was no different.

Back for the first “normal” Day of Hope since 2019 (due to the COVID-19 Pandemic), from 9:30 AM on Thursday to 12:30 AM on Friday, the spirit of IUDM shook the IMU. People wearing Day of Hope merchandise could be spotted on every corner across campus. There was a contagious energy in the air that only increased when you stepped through the streamers and into Alumni Hall.

This year is sophomore Ava Tuschman’s first year on the Logistics committee.

“It’s so much fun to raise money with everyone here around you,” Tuschman said. “You just get hyped up… it’s definitely just stimulation and it makes my extroverted self very happy.”

While extroverts love the atmosphere of Day of Hope, it also has the power to bring introverts out of their shells.

“Part of the magic of Day of Hope is seeing the shy people on committees smile and dance with everyone,” senior Melanie Kaye on the Public Relations committee said. “You can make friends so easily. Day of Hope just does that to you.”

After a full day of entertainment, committee cheers, fundraising pushes, and power hours, the total amount raised that day was announced. Just after midnight, people crowded together at the Sample Gates, where the Accounting committee was ready for us.

“Kids can’t wait! Kids can’t wait! Kids can’t wait!” The members of IUDM crowded in front of the gates and united in one cheer.

The Accounting committee stood in a line between the pillars of the Sample Gates and held signs away from the crowd. Each of them had a number on the back that, when put together, displayed the final amount raised that day. One by one, starting at the end of the final number, the committee members lifted their signs. By the time the first digit of the total amount was revealed, the crowd’s cheers were deafening.

On Day of Hope 2022, IUDM raised $673,547.23 for Riley Hospital for Children. This was the highest Day of Hope fundraising total in the 32 years of IUDM’s history.

IUDM members went home after the reveal, exhausted and with hurting feet. But they also had the biggest smiles on their faces and feelings of accomplishment in their hearts, knowing they had done great things that day.

Adam Erdman, a freshman on the FYDE team, described Day of Hope as "an amazing, magical experience." He told us, "I thought my goal of $1000 was lofty, but the encouragement of the Cruit team I sat with motivated me to keep fundraising."

All of IUDM was surpassing goals that day, and we're excited to keep up that energy through the marathon itself.

When asked what junior Alli Waller on the Fundraising committee was most excited about for the marathon, she said, “I’m most looking forward to seeing all the other committee members reach the goals that they were a little bit intimidated by, but we encouraged them to set anyways. After this day, I think that they see what they can do. I’m really excited for them to show out at the marathon.”

IUDM 2022 will take place at the IU Tennis Center from Friday, October 28th to Sunday, October 30th.