Dance Marathon hosts annual event at Holy Cross College

March 29, 2017 (Notre Dame, Ind.) — On Saturday, April 1, more than 300 college students will participate in the annual Saint Mary’s College Dance Marathon (SMCDM). The 12-hour event, which starts at noon, has raised more than $800,000 for Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health in Indianapolis since Saint Mary’s students brought the event to campus in 2005. The 2016 event raised $105,963, the most in the 11 years of the organization, for clinical care and medical research at Indiana’s only nationally ranked and comprehensive children’s hospital.

This year the event will take place in Pfeil Athletic Facility at Holy Cross College from noon to midnight, due to construction in Angela Athletic Facility. The theme is Carpe DM — a pun on the phrase "Carpe Diem" meaning "Seize the Day." The community is invited to attend Dance Marathon, which will feature the stories of local families whose lives have been positively impacted by Riley Hospital. Saint Mary’s students raise most of the funds by pledging to stay on their feet for 12 hours and finding sponsors. The day of the event will include performances by student groups including the Notre Dame Band, the Irish Dance Team, Saint Mary’s Cheerleading Team, Bellacappella, and more.

Carpe DM

SMCDM is more than a one-day event. There are fundraisers throughout the academic year including a 5K run/walk, apparel sales, and Give Back Nights at local restaurants where a percentage of sales benefit Riley Hospital. There are also mini-marathons held by students at local high schools including Bremen High School, Elkhart Central High School, Rochester High School and Warsaw High School. The totals from all of these fundraisers are rolled into the SMCDM total, which is announced at midnight that night. This year’s goal is $110,000.

SMCDM is more than a long-distance relationship between Saint Mary’s College and Riley Hospital, which is about three hours south of campus. Families from St. Joseph and surrounding counties turn to Riley Hospital and its regional clinics more than 5,000 times each year for compassionate care, comfort, and support for their children. For more than 20 years Riley Hospital physicians have traveled to South Bend to provide medical care for children. Ten out of 10 medical specialty programs are ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s 2016-17 of Best Children’s Hospitals.

Monetary donations are encouraged. Checks or cash can be mailed to Saint Mary’s College Dance Marathon, 244 Student Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556. Online donations can be made here.

About Saint Mary's College: Celebrating over 175 years of empowering women to make a difference in the world, Saint Mary’s College is recognized as a pioneer and continued force in the education of women. A Catholic, liberal arts institution in Notre Dame, Indiana, the College offers more than 50 undergraduate academic programs and also offers co-educational master’s degrees.

About Riley Children’s Foundation: Riley Children’s Foundation supports Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health, Camp Riley and the James Whitcomb Riley Museum Home. As Indiana’s only comprehensive hospital dedicated exclusively to the care of children, Riley Hospital has provided compassionate care, support and comfort to children and their families since 1924. Each year children from all 92 Indiana counties turn to Riley Hospital and its regional clinics throughout the state more than 300,000 times. Riley Hospital’s partnership with Indiana University Health and its strong affiliation with the Indiana University School of Medicine make Riley Hospital the leader in pediatric care in the state and the region. For more information, visit RileyKids.org.

Contact for News Media: Haleigh Ehmsen, Media Relations Associate, Saint Mary’s College, hehmsen@saintmarys.edu (574) 284-5343

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