Miranda Black is a committee member on the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

Natalie Martinez, a pre-med student with a passion, wanted to impact patients before she had the ability to treat them. Sarah Lampley, who is always looking for adventure, wanted to challenge herself and do something fun with her new friends. Lawson Garner, an out-of-state student, wanted to be a part of the awesome event that he stumbled upon during his first visit to UNC. 

These three freshmen with three different stories have one thing in common: they all pledged to give 24 hours, 200 dollars, and two feet in support of the patients and families of UNC Children’s by dancing in the UNC Dance Marathon. 

Natalie has not only pledged to dance in the Marathon, but as a member of the Formal Affairs Committee, she is also helping to plan it. Natalie’s passion for CFTK comes from working as a summer camp counselor and babysitter, which has led her to fall in love with the vibrant and lively kids who take delight in playing with her.

“I never realized the alternative; some of these kids are too sick to play and too sick to do things that other kids get to do. I care about CFTK because its goal is to give children their childhood back,” Natalie said. She looks forward to raising money For the Kids and to the Kenan Stadium sunset walk during the Marathon.

“I first heard about Dance Marathon during orientation, and I signed up because it seemed like a fun thing to do with friends,” Sarah said. “I also wanted to see if I could actually stand for 24 hours!” Although Sarah said she doesn’t know much about the Marathon, she’s excited about all of the free food and the good cause that she is standing for.

“There was a guy that I went to middle school with, and he passed away with a brain tumor in eighth grade. We went to his funeral and met with his family and to see that they’d been living with that was hard,” Sarah said. “I want to help families who have to go through unimaginable things like that.”

Lawson traveled all the way from Chicago for his college visit to UNC, which just so happened to be on the same day as the 2017 UNC Dance Marathon.  “My mom wanted to see what was going on, so we went into the gym, and a really nice senior showed us around,” Lawson said. “Seeing the UNC Dance Marathon and all the people having fun for a good cause was one of the reasons I chose to come to UNC.”

“They had porcupines last year, and they were so adorable!” Lawson mentioned.  He looks forward to attending the Marathon again – but, this time, as a dancer. 

Although Natalie, Sarah, and Lawson look forward to different parts of the Marathon, they all care about what they’re standing for.

“To me, Carolina For The Kids and their mission means giving kids their childhood back and relieving parents of their difficult duties even for a little while. This will help us understand some of the kids’ pain, even if we’re only standing up for one day in support of them,” Natalie said.

“We have this ability to stand up, and we take it for granted.  By participating in the Marathon, we’re recognizing that and standing for the people who can’t,” Sarah said.

“It’s so important that we’re having fun for a good cause and standing up for the kids,” Lawson said. 

If you’ve signed up for the Dance Marathon, get ready to meet some new friends like these three!  If not, you can still help; Natalie, Sarah, and Lawson plan to raise their dancer totals by asking friends and family to donate (and all dancers would love your help)! Take the stand and join them in being a part of something greater than themselves! Only 109 until the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon. The countdown is on!

Sara Hall is a committee member on the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

This upcoming Tuesday, people around the world will be donating to some of their favorite nonprofits as a way to kickstart the season of giving. Giving Tuesday is a national movement that occurs every year on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, and more donations have been made on this day than any other time throughout the year. This day is a wonderful opportunity for you to have an impact and help Carolina For The Kids raise money for the patients and families of UNC Children’s!

You may be asking yourself, how can I help CFTK on this Giving Tuesday? First and foremost, you can fundraise! Social media is an incredible way to spread awareness about CFTK and its mission. Share your CFTK story with your family and friends and attach a link to your dancer fundraising page or they can simply donate at carolinaftk.org/donate. You are also welcome to share any of our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram posts to spread the word and bring in donations.

For Giving Tuesday, we wanted to highlight one of Carolina For The Kids’ Flagship grants: the FTK Fund. Through this Fund, CFTK is able to support families in ways that medical insurance cannot. A few ways that the FTK Fund supports these families is by providing gas cards so parents can drive to and from the hospital, supplying meal tickets to families in the hospital, and covering critical bill payments. As individuals donate on Giving Tuesday, they will be supporting important and impactful programs such as the FTK Fund.

In addition to the FTK Fund, every penny that you raise or donate on Giving Tuesday will directly support the families through CFTK’s additional programs, which include Parent’s Night Out, the Pediatric Play Atrium, and Carolina For The Kids Grants and Research Grants. Read about all of CFTK’s amazing work here.

Are you ready to support the incredible work that a few UNC undergraduate students are doing to support the patients and families at UNC Children’s? You can donate directly at this link and make a difference!

We look forward to seeing all of our dancers, committee members, and supporters spread the mission of Carolina For The Kids to their friends and family on this Giving Tuesday! We are incredibly grateful for all of the work that our dancers, committee members, Executive Board members, and community partners do throughout the year and especially on Giving Tuesday all For the Kids. We could not do any of the amazing work that we do without you all and your support.

Sara Hall is a committee member on the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

We’re spicing this week up with 4 benefits for the kids, with 3 on the same night! Here a few fun ways that you can support Carolina For The Kids this week!

MidiCi Italian Kitchen Benefit Night: November 26 (6pm-10pm)

Make sure to swing by Franklin Street’s newest Italian restaurant this Monday night to help support the patients and families of UNC Children’s! MidiCi Italian Kitchen will be hosting a benefit night For the Kids. No mentions are needed and 15 percent of your bill will support UNC Children’s.

MidiCi Italian Kitchen
100 E Franklin St
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Kendra Scott Benefit Night (5pm-8pm): November 29

Haven’t bought any Christmas presents yet? For your sister, best friend, girlfriend, or even yourself? Stop by Kendra Scott at The Streets at Southpoint to check off some Christmas presents or to treat yourself! No need to mention CFTK at checkout because a percentage of your purchase will automatically support UNC Children’s! If you can’t make to the physical store, don’t worry because phone orders count, too! Pick out what you want online and dial (919) 813-2981 to place your order!

Kendra Scott
The Streets at Southpoint
8030 Renaissance Pkwy Suite 920
Durham, NC 27713

Threads & Sleds at the White House (Winter Concert at Chi Phi) (5:30-8:30pm): November 29

After Kendra Scott and before Goodfellows, enjoy a little music at the White House (CHI Phi) with a winter concert featuring Mangoose & Alo Ver. Food trucks will be there serving dinner, and Christmas treats and hot cocoa will be provided to get you in the holiday spirit. Tickets are $5 (venmo “Chi-Phi”) and all proceeds will go directly to CFTK. Grab some friends and relax after a long week.

CHI Phi Fraternity House
300 S Columbia St.
Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Goodfellows Karaoke Benefit Night: November 29 (9pm-12am)

Grab your friends and take a break from studying to join Carolina For The Kids at Goodfellows on Thursday night! The best part is you can break out those karaoke skills and dance the night away alongside your best friends! As an added bonus, there will be drink specials, and a portion of the drink sales will benefit Carolina For The Kids. Enjoy a fun night supporting a great cause!

Hope-Anne Elias is a committee member on the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

Sam Grizzle is a first-year at UNC, but this isn't his first Dance Marathon rodeo.

HE: What's your CFTK background? Have you participated in any previous Dance Marathons, and if so, when?
SG: I actually participated in a dance marathon while in high school. I went to East Chapel Hill High School, and I participated in the Chapel Hill Carrboro City Schools’ Dance Marathon. I was a morale captain my senior year, and I had so much fun, so I decided to join CFTK!

HE: What was your favorite part about participating in your past marathons?
SG: My favorite part of my high school dance marathon was when we got to do the line dance and teach it to everyone. It was so fun to show everyone what we had been working on all year. Also, just the amazing feeling that I had as we stood was so inspiring because I knew that what we were doing supported a great cause and how standing for that length of time could help someone else.

HE: What drives you to stand for 24 hours?
SG: As a child, my sister had lots of medical issues and she had to go through back surgery. I remember being in the hospital with her and basically living there and how great it was to finally go home. Reasons like these drive me to stand for 24 hours.

HE: How did you become involved in CFTK?
SG: I became involved with CFTK because of my high school dance marathon experience. I knew that when I did stood, I had found something that I loved and was passionate about. When I came to Carolina, I knew that Dance Marathon was a big event. I wanted to be a part of something bigger than myself and make friends and memories that would last a lifetime.

HE: Do you have any pearls of wisdom for new dancers this year?
SG: I would say revel in the feeling that you’re attending this event, standing for the kids, and having fun; it’s also supporting a great cause. One of the best feelings ever is having fun and supporting an incredible cause while doing it. Around hour 20 when you might start to feel tired, just remind yourself of the reasons you're standing and why we're all here.

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The pictures shown are from Sam’s senior year in high school at the Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools’ Dance Marathon. It’s so inspiring to see participants of CFTK’s outreach in the community come back full circle to UNC. Thank you for continuing your high school FTK tradition at UNC, Sam, and thank you for telling us why you stand!

Sydney Mason is a committee member on the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

Carolina For The Kids is kicking off its 21st year with a bang. This year, for the first time ever, dancers will have the option to participate in the UNC Half Marathon, a 12-hour version of the traditional Marathon, in addition to CFTK’s symbolic 24-hour Marathon!

Why a Half Marathon, one may ask? The Events Coordinator, Jane Henriques, says that when the Executive Board brainstormed ideas on how to get more participants involved in the UNC Dance Marathon, they found that one of the main obstacles that students faced was the time commitment. Although she notes that the Dance Marathon is an amazing experience and very much worth every second, “The Half Marathon is a great opportunity to still be a part of something bigger than yourself and support the patients and families at UNC Children's.”

Standing for 24 hours can seem daunting, but it’s important to remember why dancers stand and embark on the challenge. Executive Director, Bryant Gilchrist, reminds prospective dancers that “to stand for 24 hours is just a little glimpse into what patients and families go through day in and day out and to stand is symbolic of that. Standing for 24 hours is standing in support of the courageous and brave individuals we work so hard to support.”

If you still want to come out and support the patients and families of UNC Children’s and just aren’t sure you can commit to the full 24-hour event, the Half Marathon is calling your name! With the inaugural Half Marathon, dancers will participate on Saturday, March 23rd from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M., alongside our 24-hour dancers. The Half Marathon is especially a great option for those with time commitments on Friday, March 22nd, those with medical conditions that may prevent them from standing for 24 hours, and those who are interested in testing out the Dance Marathon and seeing what it’s all about.

While participants in the Marathon experience the whole UNC Dance Marathon adventure, all participants will most importantly contribute to CFTK’s mission and will get to celebrate the reveal of our year-long fundraising efforts!

For anyone who is still on the fence about participating in the 2019 Dance Marathon or the Half Marathon, Henriques points out that, “There is no wrong choice, because both options support the patients and families of UNC Children's and ultimately that is our goal!” But, whether you’re a freshman looking to get involved in something new and exciting in the Carolina community or a senior looking for a great way to finish up your time at UNC, Media Coordinator Gabriel Timotei hits the nail on the head as he states, “Our 20th year was a time to celebrate the tradition of the Dance Marathon, but this year we're ready to test out new things!”

So, Carolina students, it’s time to get excited, start fundraising, and grab some tennis balls, because this year’s 2019 Dance Marathon and Half Marathon will be here before you know it, and you definitely don’t want to miss out on either one! Register here before November 9th at 10pm to have an impact and make friends and memories that will last a lifetime!

Ryan Carp is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee

Never been to the UNC Dance Marathon before? If you’re thinking about signing up to dance this week, but don’t know what to expect, here is a collection of SpongeBob inspired GIFs to help give you a better idea of all the magic at the Marathon.

1. Arriving at Fetzer Gym to check-in for the Marathon

Sara Hall is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

When asked why she decided to be a member of the Morale Committee, senior Anne Whitener said there was no question; it was more like, “why wouldn’t I join CFTK?” For many years, Anne worked at Victory Junction, a camp for kids with serious and chronic illnesses, so to her, standing in the UNC Dance Marathon and serving as a committee member was a way of not only supporting the patients and families of UNC Children’s, but also her very own campers.

“My favorite part of the Marathon is the very end when we see the total for the year. It’s an incredible feeling to see how our work from the entire year all comes together.”

Even through the exhaustion during the midst of the Marathon, Anne said it’s important to remember who you are standing for. Every minute and every dollar raised directly benefits the patients and families that stand each day and show their strengthen despite every challenge. Anne encourages all UNC students especially seniors who have not danced before, and even those who have, to come out and stand for your last year. You won’t regret dancing in the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon as it will be the most rewarding 24 hours (or 12 hours) of your Carolina career.

“We are only standing for 24 hours, and the exhaustion that just a short 24 hours causes is only the tip of the iceberg for what these families experience.”

Anne chose to join the Morale Committee because it was the closest role to a camp counselor, which was her role at Victory Junction. In fact, her camp experience was why she got involved with CFTK in the first place; it just seemed like a natural fit.

As a result of dedicated committee members such as Anne, CFTK has impacted the patients and families of UNC Children’s in more ways than one, and we look forward to all of the great work that our committee members will continue to do throughout the 2018-2019 year!

Sara Hall is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

Every year, students, committee members and the CFTK Executive Board stand together for 12 and 24 hours to benefit the patients and families of UNC Children’s. Many decide to participate in the UNC Dance Marathon to face (and hopefully overcome) the challenge of standing and staying awake for the duration of the Marathon. However, the money that CFTK raises before and during the Marathon represent so much more than simply a physical and mental challenge.

Two huge beneficiaries of CFTK’s yearlong fundraising efforts are Parent’s Night Out (PNO) and the Pediatric Play Atrium on the 7th floor of N.C. Children’s Hospital. Parent’s Night Out allows committee members to deliver weekly dinners to parents of the patients of N.C. Children’s Hospital. Often these parents do not have time to leave the hospital to pick up dinner or even think about food. Therefore, they usually resort to the cafeteria food. PNO provides these parents with a hot, healthy meal without having to leave their child’s side. The families appreciate the simple act of a hot and healthy meal more than one would imagine, and they are always overjoyed when a CFTK committee member knocks on their door with a warm, fresh meal and a smile.

With the help of fundraising efforts by CFTK supporters, the Pediatric Play Atrium is able to stay open for extended hours. Scattered around the Play Atrium are tables full of arts and crafts and toys and games providing patients the opportunity to leave their hospital rooms and enjoy a few minutes of fun. The Play Atrium lets the patients take a short break from the worries of the hospital, and CFTK committee members often spend many afternoons interacting with the patients and creating themed activities around inspirational characters such as Dr. Seuss.

Without the efforts of our dancers, committee members, sponsors and donors, none of our funding would be possible. The money raised is crucial to CFTK’s mission, and we are incredibly grateful for those who allow us to fund impactful programs such as PNO and the Pediatric Play Atrium!

Last week, Carolina For The Kids hosted benefit nights at The Yogurt Pump, Purple Bowl, and Silverspot Cinema. UNC students and local residents alike braved the rain and wind of Hurricane Michael and headed out to help support the patients and families of UNC Children’s! Benefit nights are an awesome and super easy way to contribute to CFTK, enjoy a few of the great local places in Chapel Hill, and fuel your tastebuds with some delicious food and catch a movie while you’re at it!

All of the money raised through benefit nights directly supports the patients and families. These proceeds go toward expenses that insurance doesn’t cover, including gas cards for families who must commute back and forth from the hospital, the costs of staying at the Ronald McDonald House for those who have had to relocate to be with their kids, diapers for families of newborns, and much more.

Benefit nights allow us to achieve our mission and support the patients and families. We are so thankful to all those who came out and the restaurants and businesses who supported us! Make sure to be on the lookout for future benefit nights so that you can stay involved with CFTK!

P.S. You can have a direct impact on the patients and families right now by signing up to be a dancer in the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon right now at carolinaftk.org/dance!

Ryan Carp is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

On Friday, October 12th, Carolina For The Kids celebrated University Day with FTK Fest, a carnival on the Quad. With sunny skies and a cooling temperature, Friday made for a beautiful FTK Fest!

Coinciding with UNC’s 225th birthday, CFTK members and UNC students enjoyed the day by playing lawn games like frisbee and cornhole, snacking on carnival food such as cotton candy, popcorn and lemonade, snuggling with puppies, and even pieing a member of the CFTK Executive Board! The lucky pie eater was our beloved Morale Chair, Sara Pequeño.

All of the proceeds from FTK Fest will directly benefit the patients and families of UNC Children’s, making FTK Fest a celebration for UNC and For the Kids.