DanceBlue is so much more than standing for 24 hours or watching the total fundraising amount be raised at the end of the marathon. To me, DanceBlue is a community that loves deeply and widely. This has rung true for me since I became a part of the DB family almost four years ago. I have seen the impact that we, as college students, are able to make on the lives of the kids and their families. We provide shoulders to lean on and, this year, virtual high fives and hugs. We are there with them through every step of the way.
This year has been full of uncertain times and anxiety over what could have or should have been. We didn’t expect everything that this year became, but that’s the thing–kids and their families don’t expect to battle cancer.
While the marathon looks different this year, the tradition is still there. My one goal in planning the marathon was to keep as many elements as possible the same as they would look in a typical year while also formatting them to a virtual platform. I have been a part of the Programming committee for three years now and I have always loved being able to think outside the box and put new twists on the fun activities and games that dancers partake in. This year has been no different. We have had to completely reshape what it looks like to be a dancer in our annual marathon and I know that some of the elements we’ve added, such as the livestream and Marathon Madness, are going to leave lasting impacts on DanceBlue for years to come.
I have never felt love as pure as what I have felt when surrounded by the DanceBlue community. These people are the best I know and I am so fortunate to be surrounded by others who work towards one common goal, the kids. As my time as Programming Chair comes to an end, I will always look back on this year with the biggest smile knowing that we made a difference, despite a global pandemic.
For the fight. For the cure. For the kids.
