Volume 5, Issue 5

December 2013

The mission of UNC Dance Marathon is to overcome childhood illness by providing major support for the medical, surgical and emotional care of the patients and families served by North Carolina Childrens Hospital.

Special Invitation
Dec. 11 - Dancer Appreciation Day & 100 Days Celebration UNC-DM members wil be outside Davis Library from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. with coffee and snacks for dancers as a study break and motivation station. Jan. 21-24 - Motivator/ Volunteer Recruitment Week Still looking for a way to get involved with UNC-DM? Sign up to be a motivator or volunteer! Feb. 1 - Smith Center Childrens Challenge Join us in the Smith Center as the Tar Heels take on NC State! We will be collecting donations For the Kids in a competition to raise more money than Duke.

In This Issue
Dancer Recruitment Week Recap Find out how the Morale and Recruitment committee helped sign up more than 2,020 dancers.
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UNC-DM Profile Senior morale captains Mike Jones and Kirsten Ballard won Mr. and Miss UNC; learn more! Press Rewind Miss anything UNC-DM related last month? Catch up on Novembers events.

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Dancer Fundraising Tips Learn about fundraising ideas that can help you raise that $150 in no time.
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Photo by Renee Montpetit

For the Kids Story

Will was recently admitted to N.C. Childrens Hospital after having already been treated for several days at an outside hospital after a traumatic foot injury. The 6-year-old is expected to be hospitalized for several more days. As a result, his familys finances have become tighter, as the boys father is not paid when he is not at work. Through the For The Kids Fund, we have been able to provide the family with meal tickets, helping to make their stay more pleasant.

Twitter Tales Check out what our followers have been up to this past month. Grant Spotlight This month, were featuring our Childrens Supportive Care Team grant.

Follow Us

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Visit Online www.uncmarathon.org

We must be swift as a coursing river, with all the force of a great typhoon, with all the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon.
- Captain Li Shang, Mulan

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, please contact 2014 Publicity Chair Renee Montpetit, at publicity@uncdm.org.

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Dancer Recruitment Week Recap
By Kelly Crupi

t is now officially Marathon season! Last month from Nov. 4-8, members of the Morale and Recruitment committee took over the Pit for Dancer Recruitment Week to encourage students to sign up during the 24-hour UNC Dance Marathon March 21-22, 2014. More than 2,020 people signed up to be dancers. To Chelsea Krivanek, chair of the Morale and Recruitment committee, this total exceeded all of her expectations for DRW. She said that she is proud of her committee for being informed and energetic throughout the week, as well as for taking advantage

of opportunities to share UNC-DMs mission with the student body. It was cool to see the communitys shift in perspective towards UNC-DM, said Krivanek. We really tried to push the cause-centric side of recruitment and show people the why behind all of our efforts. This year, the Morale and Recruitment committee changed a few of their recruitment activities, which Krivanek believes contributed to the weeks success. For example, rather than going from dorm to dorm, known as dorm storming, members of the committee instead used other tactics like handing out candy and water bottles in order to engage with students and start conversations about UNC-DM.

Senior Chris Felix, member of the Morale and Recruitment committee and captain of the Shreking Ball dancer team, agreed that DRW was successful. I think my favorite part was being able to see everybody from my committee and getting other senior friends to sign up for the marathon, said Felix. Felix said that he is excited for the upcoming Motivator and Volunteer Recruitment Week Jan. 21-24 since both groups of people play such an instrumental part in the Marathon. Moving forward, the morale captains will also begin working with their teams to help each dancer reach their $150 fundraising goal and to stay excited for the Marathon.

UNC-DM
By Hannah Wallace

Profile : Mike Jones and Kirsten Ballard

first month at UNC. She served as an Alumni Relations committee member and sub-chair her freshman and sophomore years, respectively, and as a morale captain the past two years. This is Jones first year involved with UNC-DM. I am extremely excited about everything. From learning dances to meeting the children in N.C. Childrens Hospital, it is clear that this experience will be something I will never forget, said Jones. Both Mr. and Miss UNC have seen the service and gratification that comes from their participation in UNC Dance Marathon. I can only imagine the smiles on all of the childrens faces when they see people dancing to help them, said Jones about his anticipation for the upcoming Marathon. Ballard commented about her personal experience and what she has gained through her involvement. Since joining Dance Marathon,

The student body recently voted UNC Dance Marathon morale captains Mike Jones and Kirsten Ballard to be crowned Mr. and Miss UNC. Through these titles, they are given the opportunity to represent their school and give back both to not only the campus but also the community. As Mr. and Miss UNC, they receive funding for a service project of their choice. Jones is implementing a project for Heel Prints Never Fade, his own personal organization honoring fallen Tar Heels. Ballard is putting the funds toward a fundraiser to create more scholarships for children attending Camp Kesem, a summer camp run by Duke and UNC students for kids with a parent who has or has had cancer. Both Jones and Ballard have different UNC-DM stories. Ballard was recruited in the Pit during Committee Recruitment Week her

Photo courtesy of Marianna TePaske Daly| Kirsten Ballard, left, with Mike Jones and 2012 Miss UNC Colleen Daly after Ballard and Jones were crowned 2013 Mr. and Miss UNC on Nov. 9 during halftime of the homecoming football game.

Ive met my best friends, my roommate, my sorority, and made more memories than I can ever write. UNC Dance Marathon is more than a great cause, its my family.

To read the entire Q&A with Mr. & Miss UNC, visit our blog!

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Get Caught Up - November Highlights

Photo by Sri Sure| Every Sunday afternoon, committee members meet to work on banners to be hung during the marathon in March. On Nov. 10, the Business Management and Operations committees worked on the banners.

Photo Courtesy of Kelsey Davis | UNC Dance Marathon had a Tacky Sweater Party on Nov. 21 at Players. Members of the Executive Board pose for a photo, all sporting their tackiest sweaters. DJ EPZ provided tunes for the night, including a mixture of holiday music and current hits.

Photo by Erin Meyer | Members of the Outreach committee went to Glenwood Elementary School on Nov. 8 for a minimarathon. During this event, the kids played games and made cards that were given to patients of N.C. Childrens Hospital.

Dancer Fundraising Tips

By Marleigh Cannon

So you signed up to dance in the 2014 UNC Dance Marathon. Awesome! Now what? Raising $150 before March can seem like a daunting task. Here are a few ideas to do during exams and winter break that will help make fundraising a breeze! Perform a chore or duty for your neighbors and family friends: Babysit, wrap gifts, shovel snow, rake leaves or pet sit. Then ask for donations to your dancer fund. Have a bake sale: This time of the year is prime baking season, and people like it even more when they dont have to make the goods themselves. Do ridiculous dares for small sums of money: Do you have that friend that always says Ill give you $5 if you eat this? Take them up on that offer! It might be gross, but its for a good cause!

Go caroling: Caroling is one of the biggest fundraisers that UNC Dance Marathon partakes in, and it is sure to be just as successful for you. You can go by yourself, with friends and family, or with a small group of dancers. Make your friends and family a simple meal: Make pancakes or spaghetti, and charge everyone $5 to get in. Its a cheap meal, and you can put all of the profits into your dancer fund. Get sponsored: Have friends and family give you a sum of money for each of the 24 hours you are dancing.

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Sell exam survival kits in the Pit: Include essential finals week items such as scantrons, blue books, pencils, protein bars and instant coffee packets.

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Give massages during finals: Everyone needs a little relaxation time during finals, and you could provide that for your friends! Charge them $1 a minute for a massage, and before you know it you could have your entire dancer fund!

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Give rides to the airport: Charge a flat rate to out-ofstate students to drive them to the airport. Be sure to tell them its for a great cause, and its always a good idea to charge less than taxi services.

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Tell everyone you know about UNC Dance Marathon: Just talk about the organization. Read up on the grants and FTK stories, and be sure to tell all of your friends, family, and your parents coworkers about it. You should also share your fundraising page on social media with your personal story about your involvement with UNC-DM. People who are in the holiday spirit wont be able to say no!

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Twitter Tales

UNC Dance Marathon

@UNCDM
UNC Dance Marathon is the largest student-run fundraiser at UNC-Chapel Hill. Our efforts benefit the patients and families at N.C. Childrens Hospital.
Chapel Hill, N.C. - http://www.uncmarathon.org

Following
2,252 TWEETS 948 FOLLOWING 2,288 FOLLOWERS

Interactions
Brendan Leonard @King_Bleonidas Note to self: my short sleeve @UNCDM polo is not enough clothing for a football game in November #FTK
1:36 PM - 23 Nov 13

Jamison Kies @jellyonpies I just met my original @UNCDM donation goal - looks like I am going to increase it! #FTK #sograteful
9:41 PM - 20 Nov 13

Avery Keese @avkeese Making cards for the patients and families of N.C. Childrens at a @UNCDM minimarathon!

Mike Jones @2mikejones2 EVERYONE is doing Dance Marathon this year. I am tooooo hype. @UNCDM #FTK

7:40 PM - 18 Nov 13

Jessie N @nashasaurusjess Whip my Harriet the Spy, the Human Twerk, and now the Wrecking Belles. @UNCDM team names through the years. Bring on year 3.
12:24 AM - 23 Nov 13 1:15 PM - 12 Nov 13

Your Wish Is Granted - Childrens Supportive Care Team

care of seriously ill children allows pediatricians to focus on the specific he Childrens Supportive medical needs and overall care plan Team at N.C. Childrens of the patient, while the support team Hospital is sponsored can focus on issues such as symptom by one of UNC Dance management, communication, Marathons divisional decision making, end of life planning, grants. The team, first funded by and parent and sibling support. UNC-DM in 2011, works to improve Candace Gentry, UNC-DM Hospital the quality of life for seriously ill Chair, said the grant is important patients and their families because even though it is difficult to Otherwise known as pediatric think about children passing away, it is palliative care, the support team critical to have people who are trained aims to help children and their to help families in these situations. families by providing active total care She said, By continuing to of the childs mind, body, and spirit, fund the team, we are able to as well as supporting the family. help improve the quality of life of The teams involvement in the seriously ill patients and help their
By Haley Waxman

family members cope with life without their loved one. The team also helps to provide families with ceramic handprints of their child to keep after their passing. Its a small keepsake, but it means a lot to the families and Im so glad we were instrumental in providing finances for the Childrens Supportive Care Team, said Gentry.

In the next chapter...

Highlights from December Feature on Dance Marathons around the state Morale captains spotlight