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Guidebook
An overview of the
Riley Dance Marathon Program
2008-09
Dance marathon programs benefit Riley Hospital for Children
Dear students and advisors,
Thank you for your interest in dance marathon! You are embarking
upon an unforgettable journey. Dance marathon is exhilarating, hard
work and lots of fun. It also is one of the best philanthropic opportunities
available to you as a student. Dance marathon offers the opportunity to
make a tremendous difference in the lives of children.
As you work diligently to accomplish your annual goals, dance marathon
will provide memories for a lifetime. In planning and executing a dance
marathon, you learn about your capabilities and strengthen your
leadership skills while raising money for an important cause — children.
This guidebook provides a basic overview of dance marathon. Please
look through the pages, utilize the information and think about the
possibilities. If you would like to receive further details, please visit the
Riley Children’s Foundation Web site at RileyKids.org, call 317.634.4474,
or e-mail sprichard@rileykids.org.
Thank you for stepping up on behalf of Hoosier children through your
support of dance marathon and Riley Hospital for Children.
For the Kids,
Sarah Prichard
Events Coordinator – Dance Marathon
Riley Children’s Foundation
Table of Contents
What is Dance Marathon?
2
Dance Marathon History
3
Fundraising Ideas
4-5
Fundraising Tools
6
Riley Hospital for Children Facts
7-8
Contacts
9
What is
Dance Marathon?
What
Dance marathon events require year-round event planning with the
focus of helping kids at Riley Hospital for Children. Your determination
culminates in a continuous, multi-hour fundraising event which blends
games, music, dancing and philanthropy. College and high school
students relish the experience knowing they have generated funds to
support thousands of kids who receive care every year at Riley Hospital.
Who
When
Riley kids are the inspiration for dance marathons.
Through powerful testimonials, Riley kids and their
families spread the word about the importance of
fundraising for Indiana’s only comprehensive children’s
hospital. These special Riley stories make every dance
marathon event a celebration of medical miracles!
Dance marathons are held year-round, when school
calendars permit.
How
A dance marathon is a student-driven event, offering
unique opportunities to develop leadership skills that will
benefit you for a lifetime. You can help plan a dance
marathon by volunteering as a committee member or
leader. In addition, you may raise money through
donation requests, coin collections and sponsorships.
And, everyone is invited to dance to celebrate the effort
and end result.
Why
Where
Dance marathons take place in gyms, ballrooms and
arenas and range from six to 36 hours, depending
on school and campus regulations. To date, more than
16 annual dance marathons are held in Indiana.
Dance marathons also offer potential as a community or
county fundraiser. Schools may unite for the event or host a
friendly fundraising competition through dance marathon.
The Future
Riley Children’s Foundation is at work to bring a dance
marathon to every college and high school in Indiana.
The first step begins with you! Take pride in knowing
that your dance marathon participation can help
thousands of Hoosier children.
Every step you take as a part of a dance marathon is a
step for Indiana’s children. Your generous spirit supports
lifesaving medical care and research at Riley Hospital for
Children. Thanks in part to the generous support of
Hoosier donors like dance marathon partners, no Indiana
child is ever denied care because of a family’s inability
to pay.
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How did
Dance Marathon begin?
In 1991, Indiana University student Jill Stewart Waibel organized the
first dance marathon to benefit Riley Hospital for Children. The event
was created as a memorial to her friend, AIDS activist and Riley patient
Ryan White. This hopeful spark in Bloomington, Ind., quickly blazed
across the state, inspiring other schools to participate.
Since then, hundreds of Indiana college and high school
students have committed to the same cause – helping
the state’s most vulnerable children. Over the last 17
years, 16 dance marathons have raised an incredible
$5 million for Riley Hospital. Dance marathons have
brought research and treatment to thousands of
children at Riley Hospital.
While every dance marathon is unique, each event
shares the same goals:
• To raise money for Riley Hospital.
• To increase awareness of the children treated at
Riley Hospital.
• To build a legacy of community involvement and
caring at universities and high schools across the state.
• To provide leadership opportunities, giving students
practical business experience and valuable life skills.
2006–2007 Dance Marathon
Fundraising Totals
Ball State
Bishop Chatard
Bloomington N.
Bloomington S.
Butler U.
Carmel H.S.
Cathedral
Indiana U.
IUPUI
Purdue U.
Roncalli H.S.
Saint Mary's College
Southport H.S.
U. of Evansville
Total
$10,704.74
$24,314.67
$7,174.17
$10,226.30
$30,000.00
$58,170.06
$14,254.11
$920,386.20
$5,351.51
$57,795.82
$9,015.69
$47,129.80
$11,228.01
$3,245.29
$1,208,996.37
“I will only go to Riley,” said Ryan White.
Riley Hospital was very close to Ryan’s
heart; he called it his second home. His
mother is still in touch with Ryan’s
physician and she attends IU Dance
Marathon each year.
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How can we raise
money for Riley Hospital?
Your passion and boundless creativity can generate
endless ways to raise money for Riley Hospital. You can
create excitement and interest in your dance marathon by
reminding students and sponsors that the event will
benefit the most vulnerable Hoosiers — Riley kids.
Many students boost fundraising potential by organizing
special publicity events in the weeks prior to their dance
marathon. Some examples to consider:
1. Spirit Week
Monday Schedule a Share My Riley Story day and
encourage students to talk about their Riley experiences.
Ask students to share why it’s important to support Riley
Hospital for Children’s lifesaving research and treatment.
There is perhaps no better advertisement for a dance
marathon than a testimony from someone who has
benefited from Riley’s care.
Tuesday Greek organizations and/or student associations
can challenge each other to a friendly sports or board
game competition. Entry fees can benefit Riley Hospital.
Award the winners with a “Champion’s Crown” for the day.
Wednesday Hold wagon races at your school or campus.
The Riley red wagon is the icon for Riley Hospital and the
mode of transportation for Riley kids.
Thursday Host a spirit table and encourage students to
stop by and make colorful banners to hang during the
dance marathon. Offer examples of inspirational
messages such as, “We’re stepping up for Indiana’s kids!”
Friday Schedule an all-school or campus “Riley Red Day”
before your dance marathon. Request dollar donations in
exchange for an opportunity to wear red attire.
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2. Hoops for Riley
See which student group can shoot the most hoops for
Riley. Charge students $1 to shoot baskets until they
miss. The team with the most basket wins — and so
does Riley. This can be done outside before a basketball
game or during lunch time.
3. Link Sales
Paper links can be sold throughout the year and turned
in just before the marathon. Sell them as notes to
students. Give each organization a different color and
connect the links into a chain that is hung around the
marathon. Before the final hour, take the chain down and
give the links to the dancers as inspiration from their
friends.
4. Trick-or-Treat for Riley
Committee members can dress in costumes and trickor-treat in their neighborhoods. Instead of asking for
candy, use Riley buckets and ask for donations to Riley.
Participants must register before Halloween with their
advisor and follow all campus rules and regulations. The
committee can send a press release to the community or
university newspaper prior to Halloween to make the
public aware that students will be trick-or-treating for
Riley.
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How can we raise money for Riley Hospital?
5. Have a Heart for Riley
8. Carnivals
Sell heart-shaped suckers or flowers and hang a sign
that reads “Have a Heart for Riley!” Have students and
staff purchase Riley heart suckers for friends, teachers
and staff at school and deliver the orders on
Valentine’s Day.
Sponsor a carnival on campus. Include food, games, live
music, face painting, clowns and door prizes. Host a jail
for students to purchase “warrants” and “lock up” all the
“bandits” — faculty, friends and family.
9. Battle of the Bands
6. Walk or Run for Riley
Organize a battle of the bands between two rival schools
or local bands. Charge admission and publicize the
event.
Students collect money for the number of miles they
run/walk or collect flat pledges for participating.
This can also be a community event. Official consent
forms should be used for these types of events.
Send a press release to your local paper.
7. Dunk Tank
Charge students $1 for three chances to drop the
dunkee into the water. Consider dunking a popular
teacher, faculty member, athlete or local celebrity.
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Where can we get
fundraising tools?
Free fundraising tools can help you host a successful
dance marathon. Contact Riley Children’s Foundation
(see pg. 8) for additional ideas.
A few examples:
Coin Collection Buckets
Banners
Pass Riley coin collection buckets through crowds at
athletic events, set them in your classroom or pass them
around your lecture hall. Loose change quickly adds up
to hundreds of dollars!
To show Riley Children’s Foundation’s support of your
commitment, display banners at your event. These
banners are durable and disposable so you can discard
when finished.
Coin Collection Canisters
Temporary Tattoos
Add a Riley Hospital for Children sticker to special clear
Riley canisters and encourage cash donations. A companion
to the bucket, these canisters are smaller, taller and can be
placed in area businesses. The clear design allows donors
to see their support “add up.”
Perfect for children of all ages, these temporary tattoos are
images of the wagon logo.
Paper Icons
Stickers
Use peel-off stickers to add to or create your
own canisters. These also make great giveaways at spirit
tables or thank-you gifts for individuals who donate.
Offer paper icons in the shape of the Riley red wagon.
For $1, donors can support Riley and receive public
recognition. At the end of the day, place all of the icons
in a creative display in a public area. Donors will be
surprised by the display and excited to be included.
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What is
Riley Hospital for Children?
Since 1924, Indiana children and their families have been
finding care and comfort at Riley Hospital for Children.
Riley Hospital’s partnership with Clarian Health and its
relationship with the Indiana University Medical Center
allows physicians, nurses, technicians, educators and other
healthcare professionals to draw on top-notch research
and training in the care of young patients and their families.
“Everyone works so hard to give each
child the chance to thrive and, in our
case, to survive.” – Charmaine
Mercado, Riley mom
“Healing a child shouldn’t be a
financial decision.” – Rebecca Dixon,
Riley Society donor
“The children and families at Riley are
enduring circumstances none of us
would want to endure. It is important
to remember how blessed you are
and give what you can to others in
the community.” – Tami Fohl, Riley
Society donor and weekly volunteer
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Riley Hospital for Children:
Did you know?
Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana’s only comprehensive
children’s hospital and one of the premier hospitals in
the nation, cares for children from all 92 Indiana
counties regardless of their ability to pay.
I Families turn to Riley Hospital for hope and healing
more than 200,000 times each year. Admissions
account for five percent of the patient visits, while
outpatient appointments account for 95 percent of
the patient visits.
I Riley Hospital cares for Indiana’s sickest children.
I Riley Hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU)
and pediatric pulmonary program are ranked among
the top in the nation. Many other Riley programs, such
as cancer, cardiovascular surgery and diabetes, are the
largest or only of their kind not only in Indiana but
also in the nation.
I Riley Hospital requires significant and broad-based
financial support to sustain and expand ground
breaking, life saving treatment and research, facilities
and accessibility.
I Riley Hospital for Children first opened in 1924 for the
cost of $1.5 million, in honor of famous Hoosier poet
James Whitcomb Riley.
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Who can we
contact for help?
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Sarah Prichard
Events Coordinator – Dance Marathon
Riley Children’s Foundation
30 S. Meridian, Suite 200
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.634.4474, ext. 318
877.867.4539 toll-free
sprichard@rileykids.org
RileyKids.org
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Zac Johnson
Director, Sponsorship Development
Children’s Miracle Network
4525 South 2300 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84117
801.278.8900
ChildrensMiracleNetwork.org
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