Every year since 1978, the high school that I graduated from has run a 28 hour marathon dance. At its inception, the dance raised $1500 for the Emergency Squad. Needless to say, over the years it has grown in popularity…BIG TIME! How big? I will get to that later because I want to try to build a little suspense
Before the dance, students go door-to-door in an effort to raise money for the various causes chosen by the student committee. Other pre-dance fund-raisers help add to the sky rocketing grand total each year like the Saint Michael’s breakfast, the 10% proceeds donated by the Chronicle.
Alumni come back each year to help in every way possible. Some help with security (sadly, it’s a big and important job), some help in the kitchen, some lead the students in various activities, other’s do less illustrious jobs like clean up after 200-300 students. All that matters is their are usually around 300 alums who come back at different times to help. They are from all years of graduation and from all parts of the country.
At 5 p.m. on Friday after school the event begins with everyone entering the gymnasium and the alumni-teacher leaders During the dance, the students take a few short breaks to change into costumes and grab a bite to eat at various times. The student-created costumes are judged by various parents, alumni and school representatives with prizes given to the best ones. I can’t begin to express to you how up-lifting it is to see a group of young people dancing into their 28th hour.
Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, the dancing comes to a end and the excitement builds to a new level. A live auction takes place, prizes are given to the top student money raisers, all other monies donated are presented and the finale… the grand total. DRUM ROLL BEGINS NOW…. last year, all-in-all, a total of more than…… two hundred thirty four THOUSAND dollars was raised… no, that wasn’t a typo. The actual amount was $234,439!!! That brought our grand total to more than $1.6 million. In fact, if you put South High Marathon Dance into Wikipedia, you will find that my alma-matter is the top (fiscally) marathon dance in the country.
Take a minute to visit the official website (here) and while you are at it, consider making a $5 donation (here).
As soon as I find out who the beneficiaries are, I will post a list of them.
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