Ryan Carp is a member of the 2019 Public Relations Committee.
18 hours have now passed in the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon, and dancers are fighting through physical pain and mental exhaustion to support of the patients and families of UNC Children’s. As dancers make their way to the Marathon’s finish line, we wanted to know: what’s keeping them standing at this point in the Marathon?
One aspect that has helped many dancers keep standing has been the support of their friends, both old and new. First-years Julia Fish and Anna Herbert, for example have both made new friends over the course of this year’s Marathon – reflecting the power of the UNC Dance Marathon as a special bonding experience for those involved. Katie Otto, the Creative Media chair, also discussed the unifying nature of being a part of Carolina For The Kids; for Katie, “the support of [her] CFTK family” has driven her to keep standing throughout this year’s Dance Marathon.
One aspect that has helped many dancers keep standing has been the support of their friends, both old and new. First-years Julia Fish and Anna Herbert, for example have both made new friends over the course of this year’s Marathon – reflecting the power of the UNC Dance Marathon as a special bonding experience for those involved. Katie Otto, the Creative Media chair, also discussed the unifying nature of being a part of Carolina For The Kids; for Katie, “the support of [her] CFTK family” has driven her to keep standing throughout this year’s Dance Marathon.
Nevertheless, more than any other element, the cause is the primary motivating factor for dancers to keep standing over the course of the Marathon. First-years Cassie Beddick and Ellie Moran described the “socially impactful reward” of supporting the patients and families of UNC Children’s through their fundraising efforts and their participation in the UNC Dance Marathon, while Katie Otto was looking forward to hearing the families share their stories during Family Hour and see the Total Reveal at the Marathon’s conclusion – the financial figure that represents the impact will continue to make in the lives of the patients and families of UNC Children’s. However, junior McKenna Ritter summed up the role of the cause for dancers perfectly: “it’s all For The Kids.”
In summary, dancers at the 2019 UNC Dance Marathon have maintained their resolve to keep standing in the face of adversity largely due to the power of the cause that CFTK represents and the camaraderie that they have developed with their fellow Marathon participants. We hope that this resolve continues through the final 6 hours of the UNC Dance Marathon!