More than two hundred students danced for 26 hours non-stop
Saturday and Sunday to raise money for pediatric AIDS patients and
to establish what organizers hope will become a campus community
tradition.
The second annual UCLA Dance Marathon, benefiting the Elizabeth
Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, raised $46,786.09 for the
foundation.
Dancers had to pay a $50 registration fee and raise at least an
additional $100 each to participate. The dancers stayed on their
feet for 26 hours, ate standing up, and stopped only for speakers
and performances.
EGPAF, which has just received $100 million grant from President
Bush, funds international action, research for Pediatric AIDS
treatments and advocacy work in Washington, D.C., for AIDS
treatment legislation.
This year, the event took the theme “The Real
World,” with former MTV’s “The Real World”
participants making appearances to introduce speakers afflicted
with pediatric AIDS.
Dance Marathon Co-Chair Emily Whichard explained the
significance of the theme.
“This is a real world problem that’s not in our
faces every day,” she said.
Whichard said the event is not just a fundraiser, but a way to
unify the campus.
“(Dancers) give up their day, time and body,” she
said. “They are put in a position of hardship and realize
that’s what (pediatric AIDS patients) go through every
day.”
Dancer Brandon Brown, fourth-year psychology student and vice
president of Alpha Omega Gamma fraternity, said at first it was
difficult to imagine how simply dancing could make a
difference.
“But looking at the kids they bring in, you see it’s
really about showing support and transferring energy to
them,” he said.
Speaker Cameron Siemers, a freshman at California State
University at Long Beach and an AIDS patient, told the audience
this was the best marathon he had ever been to.
“I want to tell you why you’re doing this,” he
said. “You’re raising money for kids like
me.”
Siemers, who was not expected to live past 10, said contrary to
popular belief, AIDS is not a manageable disease and many children
keep needing new treatments.
Now at age 21, as a recipient of these treatments, Siemers is
grateful to still be alive and in college.
In addition to 225 dancers and 50 committee members, over a
hundred volunteers and 450 “moralers” participated.
Clad in tights and a cape, head “moraler” Mark Deppe
said his role was to keep dancers spirits up by coming in 3-hour
shifts and providing energetic new faces and a changing
environment.
Deppe, who danced last year and was on committee this year, said
he was especially inspired by the amazing spirit the marathon
raises.
“The marathon is effective because it raises money, but
more importantly it raises awareness about the disease and
crisis,” he said.
Dancer Jessica Reid, third-year political science student who
attended with sorority Delta Gamma, said she had so much fun this
year that she hoped to work on committee next year.
“My feet hurt, but it’s nothing compared to what
children (with AIDS) have to face,” she said.
“I’m grateful that my soreness will go away
tomorrow, but the impact I made will last forever.”