University of Nebraska–Lincoln students gathered March 2 to raise funds and celebrate Miracle Kids at the annual HuskerThon, an eight-hour event organized and hosted by Dance Marathon, a recognized student organization.
Huskers danced all afternoon and into the night in the Centennial Room of Nebraska Union. Around 10 p.m., the total was announced: $83,702.24 raised for Children’s Nebraska. Lexi Goeman, vice president for programming for Dance Marathon, said the funds will be used to build out the cardiac care unit at the hospital.
“In the past, we’ve had a monetary goal, but this year we did things a little bit differently, and focused on certain needs,” Goeman, a junior advertising and public relations major, said. “It puts a little bit of a new perspective on it to know how our efforts will be helping children and families.”
The funds will be used for a sub-team center, a nourishment center, a medicine room and a patient center.
Another change to this year’s event was opening the doors to all students, regardless of fundraising pledge.
“In the past, we’ve had people register with a fundraising goal, but this year we made registration free,” Goeman said. “Our hope is that more and more people would come from the UNL community and become involved in our events and be more aware of what Dance Marathon is.”
Each year, during the celebration, Miracle Kids — those treated at Children’s currently or in the past — and their families are invited to be guests of honor at the event. This year, 26 children were present.
Goeman said the executive committee, which plans HuskerThon, partnered with many RSOs on campus to help provide a variety of activities for participants and the Miracle Children and their families. There were games, karaoke, line dancing lessons, a letter station to write to children in the hospital, and of course, dancing. All activities were Western themed, and many had fun with the theme by donning cowboy hats and boots.
The HuskerThon is the culminating event for Dance Marathon, which holds student events to fundraise and raise awareness of the RSO and its mission throughout the year. Goeman, who grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, said the organization impacts the students involved, too.
“Sioux Falls has its own children’s hospital and so I’ve always been aware of how important it is,” she said. “I’ve been thinking more and more about doing nonprofit work after I graduate, but also advocating for health now can change the future and it can help us in the future.”
