SAAC Participates in SIU Dance Marathon

03/30/2017 | 5:14:00 | General, Swimming & Diving, Women's Volleyball

SIU Student-Athletes raised the second-most funds of any team at the event.

By: Will Becque, SIUSalukis.com

The Saluki Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) recently participated in the first-ever Southern Illinois University Dance Marathon on March 25 to benefit Children's Miracle Network hospitals within the greater St. Louis area.

The event, which was put on by first-year registered student organization (RSO) SIU Dance Marathon, had an initial fundraising goal of $15,000. With 138 registered participants, and each participant asked to set a goal of raising a minimum of $100 in donations, the marathon exceeded its goal with a total of $18,189.17 raised during the seven-hour event.

Southern's student-athletes got involved thanks to the efforts of Academic Advisor Tayler Onion, who informed SAAC President Kristina Ksarjian of the potential for getting student-athletes involved with the fundraiser. Ksarjian felt that the event was a no-brainer for SAAC to partake in.

"After learning more about what we would be raising money for and that we would have the opportunity to dance while raising that money, I knew this was going to be a fun, uplifting, rewarding and meaningful event to participate in," Ksarjian said.

Ksarjian, a senior captain on Southern's swimming and diving team, reached out to her teammates, as well as other Saluki teams in an effort to recruit dancers. A team, aptly-titled SIU Student-Athletes, was formed and consisted of 12 student-athletes from Southern's volleyball and swimming and diving teams; Gabriella Shepherd, Alayna Martin, Ashley Edelen, Abby Barrow, Nellie Fredriksson, Hannah Kaminsky, Emma Baalman, Lindsey Paulsen, Ginger Perinar, Ksarjian, Rachel Hauer and Jordan Ries.

The team set a fundraising objective of each member raising $100 for a total of $1,200 and more than surpassed that amount by raising $1,386. It was the second-most funds raised by a team at the event. The SIU Student-Athletes finished second to Alpha Gamma Delta, which claimed the Miracle Cup, a trophy presented to the team that raised the most funds, after they raised a grand total of $3,928.

The SIU Student-Athletes didn't go away empty handed though, as they won the award for the best dance moves.

And while the event was a competition in the sense of there being a winner and a trophy being awarded, the SIU Student-Athletes never lost sight of who the marathon was really for- the kids.

"We were dancing for the kids and raising money for the kids," Ksarjian said. "We desire to make a difference for the kids who need it most."

Miracle Network Dance Marathons have helped raise over $150 million for Children's Miracle Network hospitals since 1991 and is the only children's charity committed to having 100% of the funds raised stay local to support local kids.