The mission of The UNC Dance Marathon is to overcome childhood illness by providing major support for the medical, surgical, and emotional care of the patients and families served by UNC Children’s.

Volume 6, Issue 2 September 2014

UpcomingEventsSept. 25. Theme RevealCome to The Heel as we unveil this year’s theme.

Nov. 3—7. Dancer Recruitment WeekCome see us in the Pit all week to sign up to dance!

Nov. 22. Kilometers For the KidsJoin us for our third annual race, this time featuring a 10K.

March 20 & 21. The 2015 UNC Dance MarathonMark your calendars and get ready for the 17th marathon.

Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”

—Henry Ford

In This IssueCommittee Recruitment UNCDM recieved over 400 committee applications this year, of which over half had never served on a committee before.

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Kilometers For the KidsThe 5K FTK will now feature a 10K, in addition to the traditional 5K and Fun Run.

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Expanding Volunteer Opportunities This year there will be more ways than ever to get involved at UNC Children’s.

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Healthy StepsTake a closer look at one of UNCDM’s grants that connects committee members, and now dancers, most directly with the cause. Page 3

Social Media SpotlightSee what the UNC Dance Marathon community has been up to recently.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, please contact 2015 Publicity Chair Brendan Leonard at publicity@uncdm.org.

Photo by Elisabeth McFarland| UNCDM committee chairs at Fall Fest

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Visit us online! www.uncmarathon.org

Committee Recruitment Week by Marleigh Cannon

September Newsletter | 2

Kilometers For the Kids: The New 5K FTK by Caroline Atkinson

�����,I�\RX�ZDONHG�WKURXJK�WKH�3LW�DW�DOO�GXULQJ�WKH�ÀUVW�ZHHN�in September, you knew that it was Committee Recruitment Week for UNC Dance Marathon. Between blasting Beyoncé music, crazy committee dance moves, and colorful trifold boards scattered in the center of the Pit, it was hard to ignore the energy and enthusiasm of the UNCDM committee members. As the largest student-run philanthropy in North Carolina, UNCDM has no trouble showing how much they care about the cause. “We had a very positive atmosphere in the pit during CRW,” explains Executive Director Evan Sherwood. “We were very approachable this year I thought, and I really think that will help us a lot in recruiting for committees and dancers as well.” The excitement radiating out of the people representing UNCDM in the Pit was a large part of the reason the organization received over 400 applications. Of those accepted, just over half of them will be VHUYLQJ�RQ�D�FRPPLWWHH�IRU�WKH�ÀUVW�WLPH� Jean-Luc Rivera, Morale & Recruitment Chair, agreed that CRW was a hit, adding that the Week of Welcome service event made a difference. “The service event that consisted of volunteers making cards and blankets for patients in UNC Children’s was great because it allowed us to have some one-on-one time with people that were genuinely interested in UNC Dance Marathon,” he said. “The word started spreading rapidly through campus

about the opportunities available through UNCDM and what we for. This generated a lot of interest and led to a steady stream of people checking out our table in the Pit during CRW.” First-year Community Outreach committee member Claire Weintraub decided to get involved after hearing great things about UNCDM from other students. “I wanted to get

involved because it sounded like a really fun event, and I liked the idea of being involved in such a large, student-run organization,” said Weintraub. “I am really looking forward to the opportunities to volunteer at the hospital… [and] the actual marathon, because it seems like a really fun and exciting event.” In addition to the abundance of new committee members, Dance Marathon received a lot of returnees. Junior René Kronlage of the Morale & Recruitment committee knows what it’s like for a sick child to constantly in and out of the hospital, as her brother used to struggle with seizures until he was put on the Ketogenic Diet, with the help of UNC Children’s. “I wanted to do UNCDM again because it is more than something to just get involved with on campus. Its mission is amazing and truly wonderful,” she said.

“[I’m really looking forward to] Theme Reveal, booty shaking FTK, getting people excited for the marathon [and] being able to motivate dancers to love UNCDM and its cause as much as [I do]! I can’t wait to see how much we raise!”

Photo courtesy of Jean-Luc Rivera| UNCDM Committee chairs

and subchairs during committee

Kilometers FTK, formerly 5K FTK, will now include a 10K race, a longer race that should entice more distance runners. The race will be held on November 22, starting with the Fun Run at 8:45 a.m. and the 5K and 10K starting at 9 a.m. By adding the 10K, Kilometers FTK aims to attract more participants. With so few longer distance races in the area, UNCDM hopes the longer course will bring in runners from the community and surrounding areas. “We added a 10K this year to give our runners an additional way to participate in our event, especially for runners that are looking to run a distance longer than a 5K,” said Logan Hiers, Operations chair.

The 10K will consist of two loops of the 5K route, starting and ending in front of the Old Well, the same location as the other courses. UNC junior Taylor Deaton, a participant of the 2013 5K FTK and a dancer last year, said she is eager to run the new race. “I’m very excited about the longer GLVWDQFH�EHFDXVH�DIWHU�ÀQLVKLQJ�P\�ÀUVW�KDOI�PDUDWKRQ�ODVW�IDOO��LW�JLYHV�me great motivation to get back to that level.” Kilometers FTK serves as an opportunity for those outside of the UNCDM community, both on and off campus, to be part of the organization and better understand its mission. “My favorite part of last year’s UDFH�ZDV�FURVVLQJ�WKH�ÀQLVK�OLQH�

and seeing some of the patients and IDPLOLHV�WKDW�EHQHÀW�IURP�81&�'DQFH�Marathon,” Deaton said. “When I saw the children I was running for, I decided that I wanted to take the next step and sign up to be a dancer.”

Photo by Kendall Clark| Participants with the Cowardly Lion

at the 2013 5K FTK.

Getting to Know UNC Dance Marathon Through Volunteering by Sarah Cooper

A Closer Look: Healthy Steps by Haley Waxman, Copy Edit subchair

As the start of the 17th UNC Dance Marathon rolls around, participants will have more volunteer opportunities than ever before, according to Shakeia Burgin, chair of the Hospital Committee. “This year, we are partnering with the Hospital School to organize a tutoring program, “Burgin said. “There are about ÀYH�RSHQ�VORWV�IRU�81&'0�PHPEHUV��DQG�we hope to expand this opportunity in the future.” Dance Marathon will lead the program as the Teaching Fellows, currently in charge, step down. Pediatric Playroom and Healthy Steps, are expanding this year to offer more ways for dancers to get involved. “One of the biggest criticisms we

receive from students involved in UNCDM is that they really didn’t feel a sense of connection to the cause until family hour at the marathon,” “I want people who are dedicating their time to this wonderful cause to have the opportunity to see and interact with the people they are doing this work for,” Burgin said. Through the expansion of these programs, dancers and committee members will be able to more closely experience and witness the cause behind UNCDM. “Being able to catch a glimpse of why we do what we do throughout the year motivates people to stay dedicated and reminds them that what they are doing is

worth every second of their time,” Burgin said. UNCDM is also trying to expand to places in which participants have not previously volunteered. “We hope to extend UNCDM’s impact to pediatric patients who are in areas in the hospital that have not traditionally EHQHÀWHG�IURP�XV��OLNH�WKH�EXUQ�FHQWHU�µ�Burgin said. In addition, Burgin plans on expanding UNCDM’s current partnership with Ronald McDonald House by offering more volunteer opportunities. All in all, this year will be a year of expansion, improvement, and connection for UNCDM volunteers.

September Newsletter | 3

UNC Dance Marathon’s mission is to overcome childhood illness in more ways than just medical. And by supporting Healthy Steps, a program at UNC Children’s, for the sixth consecutive year, UNCDM is working toward that mission. The Healthy Steps program has been an integral part of UNC Children’s Child and Adolescent General Clinic experience for patients and families over the past 17 years. Healthy Steps is a program that works to support families with counseling and parenting questions, said Shakeia Burgin, UNCDM Hospital Chair. Karen Wysocki, the Healthy Steps early childhood specialist said Healthy Steps remains highly valued and appreciated by both families and doctors. The Healthy Steps specialist is there to extend information and resources, as well as serve as an additional form of support for families. “Dance Marathon has been a greatly appreciated source of funding for Healthy Steps and the clinic has worked to provide volunteer and shadow experiences for DM committee members and dancers,” Wysocki said. “It has been a great partnership that helps to improve the lives of children

and families served by the NC Children’s Hospital.” UNCDM’s role with Healthy Steps is to volunteer in the clinic lobby, doing various activities with the children such as reading, playing on the Wii and Dance Dance Revolution and keeping them company while they wait for their appointments. UNCDM members also get the opportunity to shadow physicians, nurses, or specialists once they have volunteered with the program. A unique feature of Healthy Steps is that once volunteers have participated in orientation, they can volunteer any time they want. Amber Majors, a senior member of the Hospital committee, said she wanted to participate in Healthy Steps because she saw it as an opportunity to get more involved at the hospital. “I remember being nervous when I ÀUVW�GLG�+HDOWK\�6WHSV�EHFDXVH�,�NQHZ�that most of the families in the waiting room had not been connected with Dance Marathon before,” Majors said.�����´,W�ZDV�IXOÀOOLQJ�VHHLQJ�NLGV�JR�IURP�sitting in the waiting room bored and ready to leave and then to not wanting to leave but stay and draw and dance on the Wii for hours.” Burgin wants to see the Healthy

Steps program expand this year by offering more opportunities to volunteer to dancers to volunteer. “We are hoping to allow the ‘Dancing for You’ program to take off this year as we expand Healthy Steps volunteering to dancers,” Burgin said. “Dancing for You” will connect pairs of UNCDM students some of Healthy Steps most medically complex patients and families The connection will start with a printed postcard mailed to families that describes UNCDM and is personalized by the dancers. The students will, in turn, learn a little about the kid who receive their letters. These connections will be highlighted at the marathon in the spring by hanging banners with the children’s names on them. “Healthy Steps works towards helping kids thrive in all areas of life by encouraging reading, giving parents additional emotional and psychological support, and by giving the kids a chance to be kids,” Burgin said.

September Newsletter | 4

UNC Dance Marathon@UNCDMUNC Dance Marathon is the largest student-run fundraiser at UNC-Chapel Hill.

2XU�HIIRUWV�EHQH¿W�WKH�SDWLHQWV�DQG�IDPLOLHV�DW�81&�&KLOGUHQ¶V�Chapel Hill, N.C. - http://www.uncmarathon.org

Following

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Interactions

Kayla House @kaylacasa_If you go to UNC and aren’t at @SupDogsUNC tonight supporting @UNCDM, then I don’t know why we’re friends. #FTK

3:33 PM - 9 Sept 2014

Sup Dogs UNC @SupDogsUNCGlad you had fun! RT “@megbarg: Shoutout to @SupDogsUNC�MVY�H�MHU[HZ[PJ�ILULÄ[�night! #FTK @UNCDM

9:35 PM - 9 Sept 2014

Festifall @festifallPerforming at @Festifall in support of .@UNCDM The Carolina Ukulele Ensemble worlds 1st & largest collegiate ensemble

1:02 PM - 19 Sept 2014

Social Media Spotlight

David, 8, was very healthy boy, but he had swelling on his brain for unknown reasons. He was neurologically devastated for quite a while and needed acute rehab in Charlotte after being bed-bound for more than three months. His dad had to return to work, and his mom needed to be at rehab with David so that she could participate and learn his needs. David had a

16-month-old baby sister, but his parents couldn’t afford child care needed for David’s dad to be able to work. The For the Kids Fund paid for a month of child care so that David’s mom could be with him at rehab.

For the Kids Story

For more FTK stories, visitwww.uncmarathon.org

UNC Dance Marathon @UNCDMHappy game day! We’ll be canning at Kenan Stadium until halftime. #BeatLiberty

4:30 PM - 30 Aug 2014