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

You’ve waited all year for this, fundraising and volunteering FTK, and finally it’s time again for the Marathon. Here are some fun things you can expect during the first 8 hours of the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon to get you even more pumped to stand!

1. Stand up!

As soon as the clock strikes 7:00, we begin the Marathon by standing up collectively in Fetzer Gym. Morale kicks us off to an enthusiastic start by teaching a CFTK-themed line dance, bringing us all together to warm up for the remaining hours of the Marathon.

2. A Cappella groups and other student performances

With special guest appearances from groups like the Achordants, Cadence, the Ukulele Ensemble, Carolina Jump Rope, and more, you will never be bored at the Marathon! Not only are many of the performances interactive as well as energizing, they also help you forget that you’re standing. These performances kick off during hour 2, but occur all throughout the Marathon.

These are some snapshots of performances from last year; they absolutely blew me away!

3. Committee Dances

During this time, committees also show off their moves. If you’re a committee member, there’s a good chance you’ll spend some time during the evening practicing and perfecting your routine, which is tons of fun! Make sure you catch these stars during the wee hours of the Marathon.

4. Optional Study Hall

If you’ve got a paper to finish or an exam to study for, the wee hours of the morning during Dance Marathon are ideal. There is usually a quiet hall with tables in Fetzer that serves as a retreat for people who want to focus on homework. I highly recommend getting any necessary work done earlier into the Marathon, so you don’t have to miss exciting events later on during the day!

5. Dinner

Fuel up for the rest of the night with caffeine and delicious food! All of the meals at Dance Marathon are outstanding and help keep you going strong!

6. Sports on Hooker Fields

Nothing wakes you up in the middle of the night better than a breath of fresh air, which is why we all go out to Hooker Fields! There will be plenty of fun activities to do with your friends; last year, we played glow-in-the-dark Capture the Flag, and this year is a surprise!

7. Games, Crafts, and Hedgehogs!

Throughout the night, rest assured there will be no shortage of activities to keep you entertained and energized. While Gym A is typically reserved for performances, Gym B is ever-changing throughout the Marathon. If you’d like a creative outlet during the night, there are always numerous craft opportunities available. There also may be fun group games in store like Minute to Win it. And let us not forget the ADORABLE hedgehogs that come to visit, but they’ll be here during the last 8 hours of the Marathon, so be on the lookout!

8. DJ Time

Of course, it wouldn’t be Dance Marathon if there wasn’t dancing involved. Get hype with some kickin’ music from DJ PDogg, and dance your drowsiness away!

That’s all for the first 8 hours, folks. Stay tuned for the next update; the Marathon only gets better from here!

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

With the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon less than a month away, Carolina For The Kids’ 11 committees are hard at work preparing for the organization’s 24-hour marquee event. However, it is never too early to start planning for the future – specifically, the 2019-20 school year. For any dancers that are interested in joining a CFTK committee next year, we’d like to explore the benefits of being a CFTK committee member, based on the experiences of several current committee members from across Carolina For The Kids.

There are many reasons why UNC students decide to join a CFTK committee. Sophomore Meighan Parsh, for example, wanted to build upon her past history with related organizations; “my involvement started when I was in eighth grade with my high school's Dance Marathon program,” said Meighan. “I spent multiple years on the board of directors…so I always knew that I wanted to continue in college.” Like Meighan, first-year Nathan Vance felt a deep connection to the cause that Carolina For The Kids advocates for. “I wanted to get involved in any way that I could, and I felt like a committee was the perfect way to do that – allowing me to play to my strengths while achieving a goal bigger than myself or anything that I could provide on my own.”

Nathan’s desire to “play to [his] strengths” reflects one of the core benefits to joining a CFTK committee: the ability to utilize your talents/passions and develop new skills to help the patients and families at UNC Children’s. First-year Tim Lange, for instance, became a member of the Formal Affairs committee (responsible for planning the Benefit Reception and F-Tee-K Golf Tournament) because of its alignment with his skills and experience; “I did a lot of event planning and coordinating with various groups to put on some pretty large events [in high school],” said Tim, “so I thought that my skill set matched what I would be doing as a committee member.” Nathan Vance also joined a committee that aligned with his passions: Hospital and Family Relations. “I knew that I wanted to engage with the community that I was trying to help on a personal level, playing with the kids and building relationships with the families.” For Nathan, “the most fulfilling thing in the world is to see a smile on a kid’s face or to provide comfort to families in need,” which is why he decided to join the CFTK committee that builds relations with families, doctors, nurses, and hospital administration. Carolina For The Kids’ 11 committees span a wide variety of skills and interests, meaning that there will likely be a committee that is right for you.

In addition, joining a CFTK committee deepens your individual level of involvement with Carolina For The Kids, giving you new opportunities to make a difference in the lives of the patients & families we serve. As Tim Lange stated, “being on a committee exposes you even more to some of the ways that [CFTK] benefits the patients and families in the hospital (such as Parents’ Night Out and Pediatric Playroom), and you really develop a personal connection to the cause and the people we benefit.” Being a committee member does require a higher level of commitment and dedication, but with this responsibility comes the reward of seeing your hard work directly impact the patients & families of UNC Children’s – and the Carolina community – over the course of the year.

Lastly, beyond the effect that you can have on CFTK and the cause we represent as a committee member, joining a committee is also an incredibly satisfying personal experience. According to Meighan Parsh, “CFTK has become my second family here at UNC, and I have made so many friends during my time on my committees.” By working together over the course of the school year, committee members form close personal bonds – bonds that are strengthened through the collective experience of the UNC Dance Marathon.

In summary, becoming a Carolina For The Kids committee member is an enriching experience on multiple levels. By joining a CFTK committee, dancers become more deeply involved with Carolina For The Kids and more closely connected to the cause that CFTK represents, all while building relationships that will last a lifetime. Therefore, as you prepare for the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon, keep 2020 in the back of your mind and think about joining a CFTK committee next year!

Sydney Mason is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee

The UNC Dance Marathon has its roots back in 1997, when alumnus Michael Bucy brought the idea to Chapel Hill. He was inspired by Pennsylvania State University’s 46-hour Dance Marathon, and in February of 1999, his dream of a Dance Marathon at UNC became reality, along with about seventy-five students. Together, they raised $40,000 for UNC Children’s.

Since then, the Dance Marathon has grown into a huge, year-long operation that brings together hundreds of students, campus organizations, volunteers and of course, patients, families, doctors, nurses, and more at hospitals around the state. So how did Bucy and a group of seventy-five students turn this tradition into what it is today?

The Marathon has grown each year since its inception. With it, the reach of CFTK also grew. In 2000, the For the Kids Fund was founded. This fund meant that every penny raised goes straight to the hospital. It helps cover what insurance doesn’t, from gas cards to bills to meals.

In 2004, five years after Bucy brought a Dance Marathon to UNC, over five-hundred dancers were surprised with a visit from Roy Williams, and over $170,000 went to the hospital. By 2007, the FTK fund had donated over a million dollars.

In 2010, arguably the best part of the Marathon was invented. Kid co-captains became a part of the now eleven year tradition. They have brought smiles and some awesome talents to the Marathon ever since. Nine kid co-captains were featured in 2010. The next year, there were twenty-four.

For all the runners out there, fast forward to 2012. This year featured the first annual Kilometers For The Kids, a 5K, that brings students and community members together to run throughout campus. Since then, it has become an annual tradition.

In 2016, the UNC Dance Marathon passed a huge milestone, achieving their biggest fundraising year to date with over $610,000, and the second year in a row to see an annual total of over half a million dollars.

As of now, the FTK Fund has donated over six million dollars to UNC Children’s. Over the years, thousands and thousands of students have filled Fetzer. So this year, when you’re petting hedgehogs or walking to Kenan for the sunrise or cheering on the kid co-captains, thank Bucy and the other seventy-five students who helped bring Dance Marathon to UNC!

Sara Hall is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee

With the UNC Dance Marathon less than a month away, the idea of standing for 24 hours may seem increasingly daunting. Maybe you’re questioning going through with something that you signed up for nearly six months ago.

Despite what you may be feeling right now, the Marathon will be some of your most memorable moments during your time here at UNC. From the relationships you cultivate to the stories you hear from families directly affected by your fundraising efforts, you’ll leave the Marathon already looking forward to the next year.

More specifically, here are the top 10 reasons why you should do the DM thing!

1. The Kid Co-Captain talent show will leave you speechless

2. Family Hour will remind you of every reason why you signed up for the UNC Dance Marathon and why you continue to stand.

3. Carolina For The Kids will make sure you get fed well throughout the full 24 hours.

4. You get to experience a completely empty Kenan Stadium during sunrise to refuel your energy.

5. You get to see some of UNC’s best talent all in one night.

6. You have the chance to hang out and play with some of the very children that you’re standing for.

7. Bonding with people for 24 straight hours will give you friendships for a lifetime.

8. Watching the Executive Board reveal the grand total at the end of the Marathon is one of the most gratifying feelings you’ll ever experience.

9. The feeling of sitting down at the end of reveal is indescribable.

10. Because kids deserve to be kids.

We look forward to welcoming everyone to this year’s UNC Dance Marathon in a few short weeks, and we can’t wait to watch all of everyone’s hard work come together in the best 24 hours of the year!

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

With less than 40 days left until the UNC Dance Marathon, you may be asking yourself how you can reach your $200 fundraising goal. You’ve posted on Facebook, you’ve gone to dancer cannings and you’ve even participated in letter push, yet you’re still wondering how you can bump your dancer total up. One of your best secret weapons? Your parents!

Here are a few ideas for how your parents can help you fundraise for your dancer total:

1. Ask them to post your dancer page on their Facebook

2. Ask them to email their coworkers

3. Ask them to share it on you neighborhood website

4. Ask them to pub your dancer page to distance relatives

Every day, you can make an impact on the patients and families of UNC Children’s, and we cannot wait to celebrate everyone’s hard work at this year’s UNC Dance Marathon! For more details on ways to fundraise, support CFTK, and see how our fundraising is going, be sure to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter) all day! We can’t wait to see the impact that you will have this year!

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

Carolina For The Kids would like to highlight one of our top fundraisers thus far for the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon, a first-year dancer and UNC Student, Amanda Cavaliero.

Similar to many dancers at the UNC Dance Marathon, Amanda had a variety of motivating factors that led to her involvement with Carolina For The Kids. Not only did Amanda have a personal connection to CFTK, through a friend & CFTK committee member, she also had a personal connection to the cause that CFTK advances. “I have a friend who was in and out of the hospital as a baby…I know how difficult it was on his family, so I know there is a real need for service for [the] families [of UNC Children’s],” said Amanda. As a result, she was inspired to stand for 24 hours and fundraise For the Kids.

So far, Amanda has raised just about $700 in support of the patients and families of UNC Children’s, “mostly by word of mouth.” According to Amanda, the most effective way to fundraise is to “be enthusiastic about what you are doing.” This sense of enthusiasm and passion for the cause, one that is “close to her heart,” has helped Amanda rally support for Carolina For The Kids among her family and friends; “I sent emails and texts to a bunch of people at home who knew nothing about the cause but were quick to donate because they realized the importance of the cause to me and the rest of the community.”

By the time the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon arrives on March 22nd, Amanda aims to raise a total of about $1,000. Continuing to leverage her personal connections, Amanda plans on growing her social media presence regarding Carolina For The Kids this year and beyond. Overall, she hopes that “the spirit of giving increases” leading up to the UNC Dance Marathon, a Carolina tradition that she is excited to participate in for the first time. 

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

From a young age, Ashlynn Hill has been in and out of the hospital with several chronic illnesses. When she was just two, the Hill family became extremely involved with CFTK, and they continue to support CFTK by spreading awareness about the organization. Recently, CFTK spoke with Jessica Hill, Ashlynn’s mother, about what it really means for them to receive assistance from CFTK and then turn around and give it right back, even when they have a child in the hospital.

The Hill family’s story begins back when Ashlynn was one, and her family was first experiencing some of the impacts of their situation. Looking back now, Hill remembers what this was like.
“When Ashlynn got sick I had to stay home, and we lost everything, our house, everything, and we had to start from ground zero and work our way up.”

In addition to dealing with the financial struggles that come with repeated hospital visits and chronic medical care, the bigger struggle was the unbelievable emotional toll. Ashlynn is both a daughter and a sister, and her family has been her support system from the very beginning.

They first became involved in the fundraising aspect of child healthcare with the radiothon a few years ago where they helped fundraise. Since then, they have been incredibly active in fundraising and volunteering efforts with CFTK. Both Ashlynn and her sister are co-captains at the UNC Dance Marathon.

The Hill family’s desire to help and support CFTK stemmed from multiple experiences. “My desire is to not only help CFTK raise money to help other kids, because we’ve been in their shoes and we’ve been in the family’s shoes and we still are… we understand the importance of a hot meal and help with rent,” said Mrs. Hill. “If we can help in any way by using her experiences… (we want people) to really see that their efforts are being used for a great cause.”

While fundraising is integral to CFTK’s mission, it’s not just about the money when your own child is the one in and out of the hospital. Whether it’s a hot meal, help with rent, or a meaningful card, it means more than may meet the eye. Mrs. Hill urges people to truly know the impact they can have with these seemingly simple gestures.

With the UNC Dance Marathon and our One Day Campaign quickly approaching, fundraising is kicking into high gear. However, it’s important not to lose sight of what its true meaning. Mrs. Hill challenges people to not just commit to this year, but to commit as much as they can. While people may only see one side of CFTK, Mrs. Hill expressed the true impact and difference that CFTK has had on their family:

“All those moments, that if we didn’t have this foundation we wouldn’t ever experience… it’s love that’s expressed to complete strangers.”

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

Starting at 7 p.m. on February 11th and continuing until 7 p.m. February 12th, Carolina For The Kids will be hosting our annual One Day Campaign! This year our goal is to reach $60k in just one day, and we would love your help in reaching our goal. While raising $60k in one day may seem daunting, if everyone just donates a little bit, together, we can reach and surpass our goal! Today is YOUR day to make a difference in the lives of the patients and families of UNC Children’s, so please join in and be a part of our One Cause, One Goal, One Day Campaign on February 11th-12th.

Need help thinking of ways to support CFTK on One Day? Here are a few ideas:

1. Donate to Carolina For The Kids

2. Ask your coworkers by sending out an email

3. Put a graphic around the office

4. Spread awareness about CFTK on social media

Everyday, you can make an impact on the patients and families of UNC Children’s, but on One Day, you have the chance to make a huge impact in just 24-hours. Reaching our goal of $60,000 would provide enough funds to feed 12,000 family members, provide 1,200 gas cards for families that must travel for their care at UNC Children’s, fund multiple research grants, or cover 4,000 nights at Ronald McDonald house in order for families to be close to their children during their hospital stay. This one day can have a lifelong impact for so many families and patients.

We look forward to kicking off One Day at the UNC basketball game against UVA, and we are so grateful for all of those who are helping us reach our goal! For more details on ways to fundraise, support CFTK on One Day, and see how our fundraising is going, be sure to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter) all day! We can’t wait to see the impact that you will have this year!

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

On Friday, February 8th, Carolina For The Kids will host their 17th Annual Benefit Reception from 7 P.M to 10 P.M. at the Carolina Inn. One of Carolina For The Kids’ largest and most prominent community events, the Benefit Reception celebrates the past achievements of Carolina For The Kids while also helping CFTK support the patients and families of UNC Children’s in the future.

At its core, the Benefit Reception is a fundraising event for Carolina For The Kids; the event features a live and silent auction with a variety of fun and interesting items for attendees to bid on. However, it is much more than just a fundraiser. According to Emilee Armstrong, the chair of CFTK’s Formal Affairs Committee, “the Benefit Reception is unique in that it brings together some of Carolina For The Kids’ biggest supporters, hospital staff, and the families we serve.” As a result, the Benefit Reception provides several incredible opportunities for all involved. For the patients of UNC Children’s, their families, and hospital staff, the Benefit Reception “is a chance to dress up and have fun together,” to set aside their stressful circumstances for a luxurious night out on the town. Furthermore, by bidding on gift baskets designed by our Kid Co-Captains, listening to speakers describe the effect that Carolina For The Kids has had on their lives, and learning more about how they can help support the patients and families of UNC Children’s, donors and supporters are able to connect even more with the cause.

In summary, by hosting community members, hospital staff, and the families we support at the Carolina Inn, a Chapel Hill institution, the Benefit Reception intimately ties Carolina For The Kids and our mission to the Carolina community – thereby increasing Carolina For The Kids’ influence and impact at UNC Children’s.

If you would like to attend the 17th Annual Benefit Reception, learn more, or have any questions, please contact Emilee Armstrong, the Formal Affairs Chair, at formalaffairs@carolinaftk.org. 

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

Starting Monday, February 11th at 7pm and concluding on Tuesday, February 12th at 7pm,  Carolina For The Kids aims to raise $60,000 in 24-hours as part of our One Day fundraising campaign. One Day provides dancers with an incredible opportunity to reach their personal fundraising goals and be a part of CFTK’s largest fundraising effort. Here are ten potential ways that you can help CFTK fundraise and spread awareness about our mission on One Day. Today is YOUR day to make a difference in the lives of the patients and families of UNC Children’s, so please join in and be a part of our One Cause, One Goal, One Day Campaign on February 11th-12th.

1. If you haven’t already, call and text family members and close friends to ask for their support.

2. Design and post a donation bingo card on social media, with each square containing a different monetary value.

3. Ask your parents to reach out to their employer regarding a matching grant for CFTK.

4. Create your own social media challenge and get your followers to participate in support of CFTK.

5. Set out a change cup near the entrance of your house/apartment/suite where your roommates can deposit their spare change.

6. Complete your favorite household chore for your friends & neighbors for a small fee.

7. Offer to walk your friend’s or neighbor’s dogs in exchange for a cash donation.

8. Have a book sale for CFTK using novels you’ve already read or old textbooks you want to get rid of.

9. If you work in retail or at a restaurant, bring a donation cup to work to collect change/tips from customers and coworkers.

10. If you’re artistic or creative, take headshots or draw portraits in exchange for a donation.

Every day, you can make an impact on the patients and families of UNC Children’s, but on One Day, you have the chance to make a huge impact in just 24-hours. Reaching our goal of $60,000 would provide enough funds to feed 12,000 family members, provide 1,200 gas cards for families that must travel for their care at UNC Children’s, fund multiple research grants, or cover 4,000 nights at Ronald McDonald house in order for families to be close to their children during their hospital stay. This one day can have a lifelong impact for so many families and patients.

For more details on ways to fundraise, support CFTK on One Day, and see how our fundraising is going, be sure to follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter) all day! We can’t wait to see the impact that you will have this year!