BOONE, N.C. — The beat went on — and on — at Appalachian State University on Saturday as over 300 students cut loose for 15 hours at the university’s annual Dance Marathon, raising a record-breaking $49,565 for three local nonprofit agencies: Western Youth Network (WYN), Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country (P2P FSN-HC) and the Watauga County Back 2 School Festival.
The annual fundraiser, begun 17 years ago, is organized by Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT) as a community service event. Each student participant is asked to raise $150 ($10 for each hour of the marathon) through various fundraisers prior to the event.
To keep the dancers motivated, ACT provided entertainment, including the a cappella group Ear Candy, along with Appalachian’s Swing Dance Club, Entropy Dance Crew and the Royal Dynasty Majorette Dance Team, among several others. Students also had a chance to meet and interact with some of the beneficiaries of their efforts.
Watch a clip of Appalachian State University students dancing at this year’s Dance Marathon inside Legends Feb. 15. The event raised $49,565 in support of three local nonprofit agencies. Video submitted
Kaaren Hayes ’96, the P2P FSN-HC program director and outreach coordinator for Avery and Watauga counties, said the Dance Marathon is an important outreach event to connect students with families served by the program, which provides information and support to families who have a child with special needs or a chronic health condition.
“During the lunch break, the dancers sit with the families and listen to their personal stories. We also have posters displayed around the dance floor, and the students are invited to read about the children and leave notes for them,” Hayes said.
Caroline Davis ’16 ’19, events and operations coordinator at WYN, also sees the Dance Marathon as an opportunity for WYN to share its community engagement with students.
“This fundraiser brings us more than just a monetary outcome; we gain supporters who may become volunteers and interns compelled by WYN’s mission to transform the High Country by nurturing and empowering our children to live healthy and fulfilled lives,” she said.
Tyler Shore, of Boone, a current student in Appalachian’s Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program (SDAP), sang for the crowd gathered at the annual Dance Marathon. Shore and his family are long-time participants in the university’s Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country. Photo by Chase Reynolds
Mike Holley ’12, of Cary, center, served on the Dance Marathon planning team as a graduate assistant in the ACT office. Also pictured are graduate students RaShaun Robinson ’19, from Knightdale, left, and Gaige Cogswell ’18, from Holly Springs. Photo by Megan Hayes
Two student participants in Appalachian’s Dance Marathon pause for a hug. Each student participant was asked to raise $150 ($10 for each hour of the marathon) through various fundraising activities leading up to the event organized by Appalachian and the Community Together (ACT). Photo by Megan Hayes
Over 300 Appalachian students danced the night away, raising funds for Western Youth Network, Parent to Parent Family Support Network-High Country and the Watauga County Back 2 School Festival. The three student participants pictured hold the letters F, T and K, which symbolize the #FTK hashtag — “For the Kids” — used to promote the event via social media. Photo by Megan Hayes
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About Student Affairs at App State
Student Affairs at App State supports student success and well-being by fostering a culture of care, inclusion and engagement. Its mission is to develop lifelong learners and dynamic leaders through meaningful experiences that challenge and support students. Grounded in a commitment to care, engage and transform, Student Affairs creates a student-centered environment that encourages resilience, leadership, service and global learning. Student Affairs encompasses the following units: Campus Activities, Case Management, the Child Development Center, Community-Engaged Leadership, Counseling and Psychological Services, Office of the Dean of Students, New Mountaineer and Family Engagement, Off-Campus Student Services, Plemmons Student Union, Student Conduct, M.S. Shook Student Health Service, Student Legal Services, Student Veteran Services, University Recreation, and Wellness and Prevention Services. Learn more at https://studentaffairs.appstate.edu.
About Appalachian State University
As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.
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