The NC State chapter of the Miracle Network Dance Marathon fundraised $46,000 for Duke Children’s Hospital last year. This year, their goal is $80,000, but budgeting remains an issue for the organization despite steady numbers for participation since the chapter’s start, according to Claudia Patterson, president of Miracle Network Dance Marathon at NC State.
“One hundred percent of what we fundraise goes to Duke Children’s Hospital,” Patterson said. “The budget and stuff that we use for the event is separate, so we can do our own fundraisers for that, or we apply for a lot of grants, and in-event food is donated.”
This fall, student organizations received a total of $93,116 through Student Government appropriations. DM NC State received $877 of this. According to Quinton Mills, vice president of business for DM NC State, this number is a significant decrease from the appropriations they received in 2017 and spring 2018, which were above $1,000 for each cycle. Their last appropriation cycle, which was for fall break 2018 to spring break 2019, was only $775, Mills said.
The $877 will go toward posters and other materials that will enhance the event for the volunteers and the miracle families, Mills said. The money does not go toward paying for food, and the organization relies on meal donations.
“Since a lot of the miracle kids are sick or have certain needs, we have to be mindful in making sure that they are the top priority,” said Victoria Patterson, vice president of internal for DM NC State and Claudia Patterson’s sister.
These miracle kids, according to Claudia Patterson, are children who are being treated or have been treated at Duke Children’s Hospital. These children come to the event to share their stories and interact with volunteers and other families.
“Dance Marathon is an event, but it’s more of an awareness campaign,” said Claudia Patterson. “It’s more of a cause connection, and this year our theme is the Power of One, so one person, one dollar, one day can make a difference.”
The money fundraised goes not only toward research, but also toward things such as crafts and music therapy to help the kids at Duke Hospital feel more like kids, Claudia Patterson said.
“At Duke, they can’t reuse crayon boxes because of illnesses,” Claudia Patterson said. “Can you imagine how many crayons they have to buy in a year?”
As a whole, the Miracle Network Dance Marathon series benefits over 170 hospitals in North America and has raised over $250 million since its inception in 1991, according to the Miracle Network website.
The event is set to take place on Feb. 29 and will last 12 hours, beginning with an opening ceremony at 10 a.m. where volunteers will hand out hospital bands as a way to show solidarity with the miracle kids, Victoria Patterson said.
Victoria Patterson said that this year, seven miracle families will be attending to share their stories along with entertainment groups from the NC State and Raleigh community, including Wolfgang A Cappella and the Ladies in Red.
“The reason I got involved and my sister, the president, got involved is because our younger sister was treated at a Children’s Miracle Network hospital, and it absolutely changed her life and changed our lives,” Victoria Patterson said. “It gives students at State an opportunity to get involved in something that’s meaningful and get great community service hours.”
