Students registered as dancers in this year’s Dance Marathon canned, baked and even braved the weather in costume to meet the philanthropy event’s $400 full money deadline Wednesday.
Communication freshman Ethan Senser stepped out into the snow in a friend’s taco suit Tuesday, collecting more than $50 to reach the $400 goal by pledging to wear it all day.
“I had to explain that it was a very skimpy taco suit and that I have a lot of places I have to go,” he said. “Most people would give a dollar, I had to do a lot of convincing.”
DM spokesperson Katie Prentiss said organizers were optimistic that most students registered to dance would be able to raise the required amount.
“We are expecting most of our dancers to reach the full money deadline,” the Medill senior said.
All registered dancers are required to raise a total of $400 in order to participate in the 30-hour dance event taking place March 8 to 10. The total amount of money raised will be revealed at the end of the 30 hours.
More than 1,400 students registered to dance, DM spokesman and SESP junior David Harris told The Daily in January. He said organizers do not keep track of how many students drop out.
Since the DM half money deadline in January, students have focused their efforts to raise the rest of their pledged money to benefit DM’s primary beneficiary, the Danny Did Foundation, and its secondary beneficiary, the Evanston Community Foundation.
“There’s been quite a few canning days in Skokie, Evanston and Chicago,” Prentiss said. “And a lot of events people have been putting on themselves.”
In addition to Senser’s more outlandish fundraising tactic, Prentiss said students have made money by selling homemade jewelry or cooking gourmet meals for a fee. Many students also fundraised in teams alongside their student groups or Greek organizations.
Medill freshman Preetisha Sen used a variety of methods to reach the $400 minimum, including canning, making cake pops to sell and asking for donations from family friends.
“I think canning is a huge thing and it’s almost always successful,” Sen said.
Sen said although the fundraising was ultimately “doable,” $400 was difficult to raise. She said she believes the difficulty of raising the money depended on the DM team a dancer joined.
“I’ve never had to raise that much before, especially for it to be mandatory,” she said.
The tent for the event is being constructed outside of Norris University Center this week. Prentiss said DM organizers are making final preparations for the 30 hours.
“It’s just another sign that we’re that much closer to the big event,” Prentiss said.
