After a full year of fundraising for Blair E. Batson, the only children’s hospital in Mississippi, RebelTHON is hosting a 12-hour dance marathon finale event at 6 p.m. on Friday at the Turner Center.
Students participate in RebelTHON 2015. (File Photo)
RebelTHON is part of the Miracle Dance Marathon, a national organization of colleges and high schools that raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in their community. One of Dance Marathon’s main slogans is “For The Kids,” or FTK.
The Ole Miss chapter supports Blair E. Batson Children’s Hospital in Jackson. This year, the University’s donation will be made in honor of Alison Turbeville, an Ole Miss student who died last semester and who received treatment at Blair E. Batson.
The RebelTHON team fundraises all year with different Spirit Events, like the Soulshine Pizza Party, FTKarakoke at Taquería El Milagro, Local’s Percentage Nights, Grovin’ with the Batson Families, Insomnia Cookies Percentage Day and Pie-a-Rebel.
Junior management major Charlie Walker is RebelTHON’s fundraising committee chairman.
“Our biggest nights were probably some of our bar percentage nights at restaurants, raising around $3,000 consistently,” Walker said.
Another fundraising event this semester was Pie-a-Rebel, where students paid to pie campus favorites, like Miss Ole Miss and senior public policy leadership major Mary Elizabeth Kakales, in the face.
“I think it was so successful and it was definitely worth getting pied in the face,” Kakales said. “It was just fun to see everyone get so into it, and it was a new and creative way to fundraise, so I think that drew a lot of attention too.”
RebelTHON’s goal this year is to raise $60,000, surpassing last year’s goal by $20,000. Immediately following the dance marathon, which ends at 6 a.m., the grand total of money raised will be announced.
Senior international studies major Maia Cotelo, the executive director for RebelTHON, said she can’t spoil the big reveal, but the organization has already raised more money than previous years.
According to RebelTHON’s Facebook page, RebelTHON raised $42,876 earlier this month. There will also be a bigger turnout in 2016, since 1,100 dancers and counting are registered, and only 612 dancers participated last year. The top fundraising teams for RebelTHON are Kappa Alpha Theta, Phi Mu and Chi Omega, all having raised more than $5,000 for the cause.
At the finale, participants will get to meet and hear stories from patients at Blair E. Batson.
“It is a tough 12 hours — you get tired, both physically and emotionally — but the pain is part of the dance marathon and it is absolutely worth it,” Cotelo said. “We are standing in solidarity with all of the patients that go through much more pain and with the parents and doctors that stand for more than 12 hours when attending to the kids or performing surgery.”
Junior political science and journalism major Bess Nichols is a morale captain for RebelTHON and will be keeping people motivated throughout the dance marathon. She said participating in the dance marathon is a reminder to not take blessings for granted.
“We have legs, we’re in good health — so many people aren’t,” Nichols said. “(The) dance marathon is a great way to raise awareness of the struggle that patients and their families face everyday.”
