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

After spending this past Saturday bag checking and cleaning up at the UNC vs. Louisville basketball game, I decided to compile a list of pros for my FAVORITE dancer fundraising method, so let’s get started!

1. You can skip the ticket lottery

Just by signing up for ticket taking or cleaning up, you’ve already won yourself a spot at the game! Even for NC State and Duke games, you can bypass the lottery and make sure you get to see UNC win in person.

2. Free Chick-fil-A? Yes, please!

Or pretzels, Bojangles, hotdogs, pizza, etc. Whatever your favorite game day concession food is, when you sign up for ticket-taking/bag-checking/cleanup, you get a FREE voucher for a food and drink item of your choice! Not to mention, after cleanup when the concessions close, they usually leave a box of leftover goodies you can enjoy.

3. Greeting cute kiddos

While working at the entrance to the games, you get to see so many incredibly excited kids! Seeing the families who come out to the game really motivates you because they make you think back to the real reason you’re volunteering: for the kids!

4. You develop a new appreciation for housekeeping staff

It isn’t until you clean up at a basketball game for the first time that you realize just how strenuous it is. Cleanup makes you really begin to understand the patience and endurance of housekeeping staff, and I’m sure that after one shift, you’ll be more conscientious of keeping your public spaces clean.

5. It quite possibly counts as exercise!

Doing cleanup at a basketball game can really work up a sweat, and by the end of the night, I guarantee you will have no trouble getting a good night’s rest. Plus, there’s just something very fulfilling and satisfying about cleaning up around the WHOLE Dean Dome.

6. The Dean Dome is breathtaking after a game

I took this shot just at the end of a cleanup shift last November, and all at once I was reminded how much I love this university. Plus, it’s pretty surreal to see a place that can contain so much excitement be so still.

7. It helps you reach your dancer total!!!

I saved the best for last, folks. The absolute BEST part of bag-checking/ticket-taking/cleanup is that any one of these shifts brings you $25 closer to your dancer total! When you work a shift at the basketball games, you are directly helping the patients and families of UNC Children’s, and that alone makes it all worthwhile!

I hope this blog is enough to encourage you to sign up for a shift before basketball season is over, and maybe you’ll find some of your own reasons to love it! If you haven’t signed up or can’t remember, check out the sign-up sheet here to see if you can snag a spot before the season ends!

Ryan Carp is a committee member on the 2019 Public Relations Committee.

With the Spring 2019 semester officially underway, it’s time to ring in the new year, Carolina For The Kids style! Here’s a list of some possible New Year’s Resolutions for dancers to adopt – and stick to – leading up to the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon.

1. Set (and meet) a weekly personal fundraising goal for the next three months.

Whether it’s $5, $10, or $20 per week, breaking down your fundraising efforts will make the process easier to manage! 

2. Participate in at least three CFTK benefit nights each month.

Go out to eat, see a movie, and support the cause! 

3. Volunteer at N.C. Children’s Hospital, either through Parent’s Night Out or Pediatric Playroom.

Want to directly help and interact with the patients and families of N.C. Children’s Hospital? Then this is the opportunity for you! Check with your committee chair about when you can attend one of these great programs.

4. Promote the CFTK mission through weekly social media posts on your favorite platform.

Spreading the word on social media about CFTK is a great way to support the cause – it can even help facilitate your fundraising efforts!

5. Get your friends involved with CFTK by bringing them to events and fundraisers.

Connecting your friends to the cause will help you meet your fundraising goals and make your involvement with CFTK a more fulfilling experience!

Only 66 days until we stand for the kids, so let’s get fundraising and have fun!

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

As the semester gets back into full swing, Carolina For The Kids has been planning the perfect night out! All CFTK committee members, dancers, UNC students, and friends are invited to join CFTK at our annual For(mal) the Kids. Grab your favorite dance partner and strut your way over to the Great Hall from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. on Friday, January 25th. $7 of the $8 spent on your ticket will go directly towards your dancer total. If you want to boost your dancer total, bring a friend! The $7 of $8 spent on their ticket can also go towards your dancer total. It’s a win-win!

If we haven’t convinced you yet, we’re transforming the Great Hall into a Dr. Seuss wonderland loaded with decorations and a photo booth so that you can get your Seuss on! Enjoy a whole night of entertainment including performances from the Achordants, UNC Walk Ons, and the Tarpeggios with the possibility for a few surprise appearances. Don’t forget to bring your appetite because what’s a night out without food and drinks!

And after all that dancing, you’re sure to have worked up another appetite! So dance on over to Linda’s Downbar where you can enjoy a display full of even more delicious food and drinks, lasting from 9 p.m. to midnight!

CFTK would like to thank the Carolina Union Activities Board for partnering with us on this event. We look forward to having everyone not only at For(mal), but at Linda’s as well! Get ready for a fun night full of dancing, friends, and memories!

Tickets are $8 and will be on sale starting next week. You can pick up your ticket in the Union Box Office, during committee meetings, and in the pit on January 22nd, 23rd, and 24th from 10-2pm. Keep an eye out on our social media pages for a Facebook event and more details about how you can join the party! We can’t wait to see you there!

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

Finals week is over, you made it through the surprise snow days, and you’re finally on your way home. Winter break is a great time to relax, get caught up on some sleep, catch up with friends and family, and tell them all about Carolina For The Kids!

In the spirit of the holiday season, take advantage of your time at home and try to spread the word about your fundraising efforts for CFTK. Family, friends, and neighbors will all be excited to hear about how they can get involved during the giving season. Here are a few easy ways to start, (or finish!) working towards your dancer total.

1. Make a script and practice it for when you ask family and friends for donations. Being prepared and knowing what you’re going to say will help you be more confident in your fundraising advocacy.
   
   
2. Remember CFTK’s mission statement and focus on what it means for you to stand for twenty-four (or twelve) hours. Having a personal connection and sharing what we’re all about will make people all the more willing to donate!
3. Use social media. It’s a great way to connect with friends and family who you may not be able to see over break, and it will spread awareness about the Dance Marathon and CFTK!
   
   

Raising the dancer total can seem daunting, but winter break is a great time to fundraise. If you don’t get it all over break, don’t worry. Come spring semester, there will be a ton of new opportunities! Here are just a few of the things you can expect in the spring:

1. Canning is a great way to spend just a few hours raising money. CFTK organizes days to head out to basketball games, neighborhoods, and more and go door-to-door spreading awareness. It’s a super fun and easy way to work towards your totals! Be on the lookout for our spring dancer canning date come January.
2. Ticket taking and cleaning up at basketball games will not only help you earn some fundraising money, but you get to enjoy some UNC basketball while you’re doing it!  
3. Continue to use social media in your best interest– remind your friends that the UNC Dance Marathon is coming up, and keep them updated on how close you are to meeting or even exceeding your goal!
   
   

Fundraising is super important to CFTK, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. Remember to enjoy your family, friends, and time off, you’ve all earned it! We hope you all have a happy happy winter break and a happy holiday season! We can’t wait to see you all again in January.

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