This year Wright State will host its fifth Raiderthon. The dance will take place Saturday, November 15 in the Apollo Room starting at 10 a.m. and continuing into the next day, lasting an entire 15 hours.
There will also be a few mini-marathons on dates leading up to Raiderthon, which were recently introduced. Although the times have not yet been finalized, the first one is expected to take place on October 13.
These dances will be much shorter, lasting about three hours, and are intended to give students a taste of what the larger dance event will be like.
Event organizers have developed new ways to raise money for the cause. For example, at April Craze this year, they introduced a dunk tank game, with which they were able to raise over $250.
The purpose of the dance marathons is to raise money for Dayton Children's Hospital; this year's fundraising goal is $50,155. Raiderthon organizers raise money through dance registration costs, corporate partnerships and monetary donations.
Individual fundraising has also played a large role in raising money. Anyone can register as a fundraiser for the event. "I really love to see individual fundraising [by] people who are passionate about the Dayton community," said Heath Marker, Executive Director of Raiderthon.
Similarly, registration to participate in the dance is not exclusive to Wright State. Anyone who is interested is encouraged to sign up.
Raiderthon is a part of a broad national movement known as the Miracle Network Dance Marathon. Over 300 colleges in the U.S. and Canada are a part of the network. The movement was spearheaded in 1991 by Indiana University, which raised $4.1 million.
Anyone interested in registering as a dancer or fundraiser can do so by visiting the Dayton Children's Hospital website.
