The Road to a Million wasn't an easy one, but it has been the most emotional, gratifying, and awe-inspiring one. So how did the students at the University of Delaware get to raise 1,282,103.30 dollars in one year to benefit the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation?
Fundraising
This year, UDance has raised an incredible amount of money from fundraising. UD students went canning almost every weekend all over Delaware and their home states, and even most days after classes on Main Street. From canning alone, we raised $71,000! Every Tuesday we had FTK Tuesday, where restaurants on Main Street would graciously donate up to half of the day's proceeds back to UDance. We even created Blue Henvelopes this year; an event where the UD community got together and wrote hand written letters to their friends and families to donate snail mail style.
The Cash Cash Concert
This past November, UDance threw a concert at the Trabant Multipurpose Rooms with the help of another organization, SCPAB. The concert sold out at about 1,000 people during the first three hours of tickets sales, and it was an amazing event! The concert helped to raise awareness for UDance as an organization and everything that we do For The Kids.
Student Involvement
All that we do For The Kids would not be possible without the help of the UD students and the community. This Fall, UDance held its annual “Greatest of the Greeks" contest, where all of Greek Life competes with each other to determine who will be the champion of various events. During the Holiday Season, UDance held its “Hero Holiday Party", an event focused around raising the spirits of the B+ Heroes and their families. The UD community loves and cherishes this event and the ability to celebrate the holidays with the Heroes. Without the help of all the UD students, freshmen to seniors, UDance could not be as successful as it is. Everyone who has ever donated, attended an event, or helped in any way should give themselves a pat on the back for being so awesome. UDance wouldn't happen without U!
Dancers, Moralers, Volunteer
There were a record number of Dancers, Moralers, and Volunteers at UDance 2015. Dancers and Moralers make a vow to raise $460 and $146 respectively, and stand at UDance for all 12 hours without sitting; if children with cancer cannott take a break from chemotherapy and their disease, we can't take a break from standing! There were a total of 746 Dancers and 883 Moralers. Without the help of our amazing Volunteers, UDance would not have run as smoothly as it did. Whether it was helping set up or break down the rooms, run merchandise tables, or feed our hungry dancers, the day could not have happened without our 488 Volunteers!
UDANCE Dance Marathon 2015
Students, Be Positive Heroes, families, and alumni all gathered at the Bob Carpenter Center from 9 AM to 9 PM to dance For The Kids. The MCs, Brian Shinn and Carly Bergstein, led a great show filled with love and humor. There was plenty of food, merchandise, and activities planned for the entire day. From dance teams, to A Capella groups, all the way to cover bands and the Dover Drum Line, there were always captivating performances on stage. This year, we even had a guest appearance from Carly Rose Sonenclar, who sang two songs while surrounded on stage by the incredible B+ Heroes. Every hour on the hour, the UDance Executive Board performed the 2015 Line Dance while the entire crowd danced along with them. The hour before the big reveal, our DJs held a rave hour to hype up everyone in the arena and get them excited.
During Hero Hour, we had two very special guests who are unfortunately very affected by cancer, Tayler Helland and Tara Schneider, that flew all the way out from Texas just to speak to everyone about their experiences. Joe McDonough, the founder of the Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation, gave an emotional speech about UDance and B+ that made the whole crowd tear up. The B+ Heroes came on stage, danced, sang, and showed the crowd that even though childhood cancer is a horrible disease, there is always a reason to dance for a difference.
Reveal of $1,282,103.30
At exactly 9 p.m. everyone in arena sat down after 12 long hours of dancing all day For The Kids. As soon the Executive Board came on stage, the entire crowd stood back up ready and excited for the numbers to be revealed. One by one, the Board lifted their boards to reveal the amount that we all had been waiting for: $1,282,103.30 all For Our Heroes. Every single person in the room cheered, screamed, and cried, knowing that on March 22, 2015, they helped change the world.
Over 1.28 million dollars were raised For The Kids this year, and that is why being a Blue Hen is something to cherish and be proud of. To the Executive Board of UDance and to every single UD student that made this legendary UDance possible: take the time out of your day to thank yourselves and fellow students for all of the hard work that has been put in, because you were all part of the year that UDance broke $1 million to help change the lives for those affected by childhood cancer for the better.
