Project Two: Rough Draft

Dance Marathon at Florida State University is a student run philanthropy where students are awake and on their feet for 20 hours to raise money and awareness for our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Shands Children’s Hospital in Gainesville, FL, and FSU’s College of Medicine Pediatric Outreach Programs. 50% of the funds Dance Marathon at FSU raises goes to FSU’s College of Medicine Pediatric Outreach Programs. Dance Marathon provides salaries for local public school nurses in Gadsden County, 30 minutes away from Tallahassee. Gadsden County has one of the lowest health ratings in Florida, and the elementary-aged children in these schools receive uncompensated primary health care by attending school. The pediatric outreach programs also include, but are not limited to, providing primary health-care for elementary-aged children in schools, who wouldn’t otherwise get these basic needs met, bereavement programs such as Big Bend Hospice, and funding the Neonatal ICU in Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Dance Marathon is a big supporter in ensuring the families who benefit from these programs are present during the event, especially families with miracle children. These

Approximately 25% of all Dance Marathon funds are allocated toward research conducted by doctors at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Miracle Children are the future, and their future relies on a yearlong effort of fundraising. The Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that has raised funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals that provide 32 million treatments each year to kids across the U.S. and Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and healthcare services, pediatric medical equipment and charitable care. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion dollars. Its various fundraising partners and programs support the nonprofit’s mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Donations to Children's Miracle Network create miracles by funding medical care, research and education that save and improve the lives of 17 million children each year.

Development Associate of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals, Lindsay Ritenbaugh began volunteering as the Morale advisor for DemonTHON, DePaul University’s miracle network Dance Marathon in 2013. When the overall advisor moved schools, she continued to advise DemonTHON executive committee for three years. She became deeply connected to one of the miracle families in the Chicagoland area, and they served as a second family to her while she lived far away from her family in Florida. Spending time and better understanding Mia’s resilience through chemotherapy for an inoperable brain tumor helped Ritenbaugh to better understand the impact that Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has on the patients and families it benefits directly through Dance Marathon. “UF had a goal of raising $262,000 in 26.2 hours, and they completely blew it out of the water and raised $422,557.77! The very next day, Florida Statement brought in an incredible $240,769.60, crushing their goal as well! This was an empowering moment for me, since DemonTHON’s most recent push day had resulted in $48,312.99, and their highest yearlong total was $274,887.77. I knew I was joining a CMN with three top ten fundraising programs nationally, but seeing over $663,000 collected in 48 hours was breathtaking. Knowing the lifesaving equipment that will be purchased for the kids at Shands and the transformative research that will be conducted at our respective College of Medicines brought literal tears to my eyes. It was at that moment where I realized that together we can do more for the kids at UF Health Shands Children’s Hospital and that DM brings together even the biggest of rivals for a shared cause.”