People have a misperception that college students on Saturday nights only party. They stay out late, drink excessive amounts of alcohol and get themselves into bouts of expected trouble. I’m here to tell you that stereotype is wrong for members of Indiana University Dance Marathon.
On Saturday, September 19, over one thousand people joined in celebration of the 10th Annual IUDM Gala in Indianapolis. Committee members, parents, doctors and Riley families came together to celebration twenty five years of successful dance marathons and the over $20 million dollars raised. Here’s what we learned — IU Dance Marathon is only going up from here.
The gala was planned by the Special Events committed and included dinner, remarkable speakers and a silent and live auction. Guests had the opportunity to bid on items such as vacations as destination homes, sports tickets and IU and IUDM memorabilia.
The first speaker, Dr. Mervin Yoder, is Director of the Herman B. Wells Center for Pediatric Research. While Dr. Yoder was speaking, he shared with the audience the astonishing fact that 1 in 4 American children are currently diagnosed with chronic illnesses. That is why IU Dance Marathon is so important. IUDM raises funds for research in unknown fields of medicine and health.
The next speaker was Riley Lesh, a 13-year-old who was treated at Riley Hospital for Children after being born months prematurely. Riley had the room captivated with her poignant story she so gracefully shared. Riley has a special love for dance marathons, even completing her own dance marathon earlier that day. Riley has participated in 170 dance marathons to this day. She has an unparalleled love for the people she has met and her compassion for Riley Hospital for Children is through the roof.
Following Riley was the keynote speaker of the night, Dr. Jill Waibel. Dr. Waibel was very good friends with Ryan White and started dance marathon in his name back in 1991. While listening to her speak, it suddenly hit me that because of the hard work this person put into the first ever IUDM, we have IUDM today. $20 million dollars. Over 4,000 dancers. Countless lives impacted. All because Dr. Waibel wanted to make a difference and help Riley Hospital for Children.
The night finished with a surprise appearance from Casey Crouse, the brother of Ashley Louise Crouse who served as a dedicated and passionated executive board member until her sudden and tragic passing. In his sister’s name, Casey started the #ImForAsh movement. Casey challenged members of the audience to contribute to #ImForAsh and before the night concluded, he raised just under $12,000.
Courtney Pories is currently serving on the Public Relations Committee as the sub-committee chair for Publicity. Courtney was inspired by gala to say the least as she said: “As the largest ballroom event in Indiana for the second year in a row, I expected it to be big. I’ve seen the ballroom before, I know what 1,000+ people looks like. But when its 1,000+ people who either were Riley kids, know Riley kids, or want to know Riley kids, and have all contributed their money, time, and love to this hospital and organization, its an unbelievable feeling. It reminds us why we do what we do and who we do it for, and that this is so much bigger than ourselves.”
The 10th IUDM Gala was a remarkable way to show how large Indiana University Dance Marathon is growing. Each and every year there are more dedicated members, more funds being raised and more lives being changed. The gala was for Ryan White, for Ashley Louise Crouse and for the kids.
And it was also to remind our community how our love grows for IUDM each and every day.
“Once you begin a great movement, there’s no telling where it will end. We meant to change a nation, and instead, we changed a world.” -Ronald Reagan
