MUNCIE, Ind. — Ball State University’s Dance Marathon, also known as BSUDM, hosted a Dine-to-Donate event at Muncie’s very own Berrywinkle Frozen Yogurt shop Jan. 30. This event completed their “Week of Miracles,” a week of events designed to fundraise and spread the word about their Dance Marathon for the Riley Hospital for Children, happening Feb. 7.
Formerly a full month of events, the fundraising events have since been condensed into a full week of celebrations to maximize engagement. The Week of Miracles focuses on boosting registration for the event, fundraising, stewarding, increasing community involvement, as well as team and morale building for the organization.
“We think of our week of miracles as like a happy and hopeful event,” Halle Cole, Director of Riley Relations at BSUDM, said. “And what better way to celebrate that than with ice cream!”
Savanna Stanton, Director of Fundraising for BSUDM, was in charge of setting up the Dine-to-Donate at Berrywinkle. In addition to the frozen yogurt shop, Stanton has helped arrange similar events at restaurants like Chipotle, HotBox Pizza and The Frozen Boulder in Muncie.
Stanton said that her favorite event during the Week of Miracles was their Battleship game night which occurred on campus at Lewellen Pool on Thursday, Jan. 29. Battleship night was a community event that raised awareness for their fundraising campaign and encouraged participation of other student organizations on Ball State’s campus.
At Berrywinkle, and the various events taking place in the days prior, BSUDM members were given the opportunity to connect with Riley families and recenter with their mission to help those in need by making healthcare more accessible for children. At the frozen yogurt shop, the Muncie community joined several of BSUDM’s members to enjoy a frozen treat while supporting the children being treated at Riley.
“This event is really important to us, we really appreciate when businesses are willing to pair with us, because it is mutually beneficial,” Payton Bunn, Director of Riley Relations for BSUDM, said. “We bring customers in to them, and they bring funds back to our children’s hospital.”
With aspirations of going into the medical career in her future, Bunn has expressed that she especially enjoys being able to give back to the hospital.
For BSUDM, Bunn has the important job of overseeing their 8 partnering high schools. Bunn does much of her work in leadership development, and especially enjoys engaging with local kids and families.
“I believe that if we have the capacity to, it is our duty to give back to our community,” Bunn said.
Becoming a part of BSUDM is how Bunn found her place on campus.
"Freshman year can be very scary, I’m an out of state student, so I found lots of community here” Bunn said. “These people are the kindest, hardest working people I've ever met in my entire life.”
For some members, like Cole, joining BSUDM meant something beyond friendship and community.
“When my niece was 4-years-old, she was diagnosed with lymphoma and was treated primarily at Riley Hospital,” Cole said. “So Riley has always kind of held a special place in my heart.”
Cole said that discovering BSUDM and their mission to raise money for Riley after at a spring activity fair felt “perfect.” She knew without a doubt that BSUDM would be exactly where she belonged. Since joining BSUDM, Cole has been elected as Director of Riley Relations. In this role, she has the unique opportunity to work one-on-one with patients of Riley and their families.
Cole’s favorite event during their Week of Miracles was their “Night of Hope,” which took place on Wednesday, Jan. 28. This structured cause-connected event was all about sharing stories and bonding with Riley families. The event featured stories and photos of those who have been impacted by BSUDM’s mission to improve healthcare for young patients. Cole described the event as very impactful, as it allowed the Dance Marathon community to reflect on the work they’ve done thus far to support Riley children.
Executive board members like Megan Moshak, who serves as Vice President of Internal Affairs for BSUDM, have worked very hard all semester to help BSUDM reach their ultimate goal of creating hope and uniting to heal those who need our help most.
As well as participating and attending events like the one held at Berrywinkle, Moshak works with the entire executive board to plan and oversee the celebration on the day of the Dance Marathon.
This year, Ball State’s Dance Marathon will be held on campus in the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. To donate or register for the event, visit bsudm.org!
Contact Tatum Harris with comments at tatum.harris@bsu.edu.
