Ch-ch-check it out!!

I am doing the Rutgers Dance Marathon!  For those who don't know what I am talking about- Rutgers Dance Marathon is an event where students dance for 32 hours in an effort to raise $$$ for children with cancer (through the Embrace Kids Foundation.) Dancing means no sitting- not even for a second (except for in the bathroom- but I promise you that if you are in there for long they start banging on the door so you couldn't get any sleep anyways.)  You have to keep your body moving for 32 full hours!

This year there are over 700 students dancing!!  Rutgers Dance Marathon is the largest student run philanthropic organization in New Jersey- and I am PROUD to be participating for my fourth year (and dancing for my second.)  Rutgers Dance Marathon has raised over TWO MILLION dollars for sick children and their families over the past eleven years!  

So yes- I am dancing for the second time.  WHY?  Perhaps is it some sort of lunacy- more realistically it's because I love to feel like I am part of something.  Being at Dance Marathon is on of the best feeling in the world- all of these people working hard and  all for a really great cause.  I've bought into the movement more than I could ever actually articulate.  So yes- the 32 hours on my feet stinks- but the wonderful feeling that comes with Dance Marathon blows that out of the water.  Mind over Matter- DANCERS OVER CANCERS!  (I just made that up- I suppose my tag line needs quite a bit of work.)

I am dancing for all the people in my life affected by cancer.  I am dancing because I stand in solidarity with the brave men and women who do the cancer tango every single day.  I stand for the children lost to cancer- too soon and too unfairly.  I dance for the people who can’t dance any longer. 

I love everything about dance marathon- the cheesy line dance, the 4 am square dancing, club DM, the swollen ankles, theme hours, FAMILY HOUR, and the visits from my friends and family as I slowly fade into incomprehensibility.  

Things I promise if you donate me money:

• Hour by hour texts from the marathon- with less and less punctuation as hour 32 draws ever nearer.  
  
• I will dress up for as many theme hours as I can- and I will make pictures of my shame available.
• I will actually dance at Club DM- even though I remember that from last time as being the absolute most painful part of the whole thing.
• I will try to maintain my composure at FAMILY HOUR.
  
• I will make it through the ENTIRE marathon without whining.  I will remember why I am there and I will feel grateful for this chance (and for your donation!)

So this is what I need from you:

• Please donate whatever you can- even the teeny tiniest bit goes a long way- no step is too small in the fight against cancer.  My required donation to the marathon is 320$- I want to raise more!  I want to raise as much as possible.
• Come visit me at the marathon.  RUDM is super fun but also super challenging.  Sometimes all it takes is a friendly face to get over the hump of misery.

RUDM will be held this year on March 27-28th. I will be updating my twitter/facebook after Sabbath ends- the evening on March 27th.  If you are interested my Twitter is www.twitter.com/disguntledviv. 

Thanks for reading this whole thing- I’ll see you at the RUTGERS DANCE MARATHON! 

FOR THE KIDS,

Vivian