Dance Marathon is a new student organization that has found life on UA’s campus. This organization holds a 24-hour dance marathon once a year to help raise money and awareness for local hospitals.

There are currently over 250 chapters of Dance Marathon between high schools and colleges across the U.S. and have raised $62 million since their start-up in 1991.

In order to gain members, Dance Marathon is holding outreach sessions from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in Leigh Hall room 311 on Jan. 27, Feb. 3, 9, 23, March 2, 10, and 16 for students who are interested in joining. They will also have tables set up in the Union, Rob’s Cafe, and at the Spring Involvement Fair. So far, over 60 students have signed up to be a part of the student organization. Official meetings will begin on Feb. 5 in the same room from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will be held every other Thursday.

“We are looking to recruit any kind of student. Whether they’re a freshman or a super senior, nursing major or history major, graduate or undergraduate, on-campus or off-campus – anyone can be a member and help out the kids at Akron Children’s Hospital,” said Executive Director of UA Dance Marathon, Alexandra Frawley.

The 24-hour dance marathon will be taking place on April 17, 2015 at 6 p.m. at Central Hower Gymnasium across the street from Simmons Hall. By this time Dance Marathon hopes to have more than 150 members from the student body at UA. This event will have free food, prizes, T-shirts, face painting, and hair donation stations.

Before their main event, they will have donation days at local restaurants where a proceed of their profits will go directly to Akron Children’s Hospital. “This is an easy way for students to help out because all they simply have to do is eat,” Frawley said.

More updates on events and ways to contribute will be on UA Dance Marathon’s social media pages, @DMuakron on Instagram and Twitter and ‘Dance Marathon at The University of Akron’ on Facebook.

Students can email Alexandra Frawley at [email protected] for more information or updates on what this new student organization is doing around campus.