Hats off to Dancers

It's been a tough year for fundraising. Many people have been emptying their pocketbooks for the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks or donating time to rescue efforts.\nBut somehow, the hundreds of dancers and volunteers devoted to Dance Marathon have had success. The kids at Riley hospital are as sick as they were before Sept. 11, and still need as much help. And no matter how much money the IU community raises, whether it is more or less than last year, the kids appreciate every penny.\nNot only was it more difficult to procure funds than in the past, but the hardworking students that have been fundraising for months were prohibited from accepting donations at traffic intersections. \n Instead, they held car washes, spaghetti dinners, and other events to find those extra pennies for the kids of Riley hospital.\n According to the Dance Marathon Web site, $1.5 million has been raised for Riley Hospital for Children since it started in 1991.\nThe monetary leg work has been done, and now it's time for the physical leg work. Dancers have a very taxing road ahead. They will stay awake and on their feet for 36 hours, so they can understand what it is like for the parents of the children who stay awake for days on end, praying for their children to overcome their illnesses.\nA visit with one of the dancers can make a world of difference for them. If you know somebody dancing, make sure you visit them often. Even if you don't know anybody dancing, it certainly wouldn't hurt to just stop by and see how many people are touched by the event.\n So to the dancers and volunteers, good luck. You have already done a great job.\n