Red Raiders Dance for a Great Cause

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) and Texas Tech University (TTU) students will host the third RaiderThon, a dance marathon with all proceeds benefitting Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 6 at the Student Union Building Ballroom on the TTU campus.

Dance Marathon is a nationwide movement founded in 1991 involving college and high school students at more than 150 schools across the country raising money for CMN. Nikki Sandt, co-chair of RaiderThon, said the event is an exciting way for TTU and TTUHSC to come together.

“The CMN Dance Marathon mission statement is, ‘we dance for those who can’t’,” Sandt said. “We are working hard to make this event successful and hope to make this a Red Raider tradition.”

RaiderThon will be an 8-hour event where students stay on their feet through dancing, games and entertainment. Last year, the first RaiderThon raised $24,500. Kevin Traub, co-chair of the event, said the goal is to have 400 students participate and raise $40,000.

“Students want to participate because RaiderThon is a great experience,” Traub said. “If you don’t like to dance, there will be games, a chance to stuff teddy bears for the CMN kids, and other fun opportunities. But most importantly we get to see the joy on the CMN children’s faces at the event and know this will benefit them.”

This year RaiderThon is teaming up with Kappa Sigma. Proceeds from its powder puff football game will be donated to RaiderThon.

Sandt said there are numerous ways to donate to the event. This year Text To Donate is set up for those who wish to give by texting DANCE to 27722 or by visiting the RaiderThon website at www.raiderthon.org.

“We are the only university system in the country where both institutions are coming together to raise money for RaiderThon,” Sandt said. “We get to meet the families and see how this impacts their lives.”

Students who wish to register can visit the website. Registration is $15 per participant and includes a meal, snacks, live music, opportunities for prizes and giveaways and a T-shirt. The goal is for each student to raise $60.

“If we raise more than $36,000 we will be the largest program of our kind in the state, beating out others like the University of Texas. So we really need the community’s support to do well for the CMN,” Traub said.

Donations to CMN are used to provide charitable care, purchase life saving equipment and fund research and education programs that save and improve the lives of 17 million children each year.

For more information or to donate to the event, visit www.raiderthon.org.

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