Cheers and tears filled the Student Recreation Center as the last minutes of Dance Marathon 2005 ticked down yesterday evening. Participants and miracle families were overcome by emotion as they joined together to celebrate the event.

The closing ceremony featured an announcement of the total amount raised, which was up from last year. The finance core committee, brightly clad in orange football jerseys, stormed the stage with the grand total on their jerseys that read $162, 234.53.

But Jared Wright, director of this year’s Dance Marathon, stressed the main focus of the event is the kids and not the money. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network at BGSU.

“Obviously the money is important, the money helps fund the programing, the different types of therapy, the camps and everything that the hospital is able to provide to the children,” Wright said. “However, the awareness that we raise is important, which we improved so much this year through programming, different types of events and PR.”

Students volunteering as dancers were required to stand– and occasionally dance– for 32 hours straight. Moralers helped them to stay awake and motivated. Special activities like line dances, crafts and playing with kids from the Miracle Families also kept the dancers busy.

Many dancers said that they stayed motivated with the thought of the kids in the back of their mind.

“It got tiring but once you saw the kids faces and you remembered the smiles on their faces when you were playing ball with them made it all worth it at the end, especially when you saw that total [amount of] money that will be given to them,” said dancer Diana Burbante.

New participants and DM veterans alike expressed their passion for the event. First time participant, dancer Jeff Borger was amazed with Dance Marathon and said that it exceeded his expectations.

“The ending is kind of bitter-sweet,” he said. “Even though it hurts standing up, I’ve had some great memories these past two days.”

While it was Borger’s first year, this Dance Marathon was Brittany Barhite’s final year. Barhite, public relations chair for the event this year, has taken part in DM for four years and was sad that this was her last DM.

“I am absolutely a mess right now yet it has been so nice to be able to work toward such a great cause,” Barhite said. “I have said before, ‘what am I going to do with myself?’ I can find another job, another thing, but I am going to miss the students and the families because they are all amazing.”

While DM has become a large part of hundreds of students’ lives at BGSU it is also important to the Miracle Families. During closing ceremonies, Miracle Families thanked the participants and shared personal stories with the audience.

The Arquette family, a Miracle Family, has been a part of Dance Marathon since 2001. Heather Arquette, the mother of Miracle Child Kelsey said that she has been most impressed by the love and acceptance that she has seen from participants. She said that her children look forward every year to playing with the “college kids.”

“It’s an honor to be a part of such a big ‘to do’ and it’s even more of an honor to be invited back every year and still know people out there are listening,” Heather said.

DM participants stay in contact with the families throughout the year through special events. Students often visit Miracle Children while they are in the hospital, send them cards and provide support all yearlong.

“It’s more than just a one day event or one weekend of the year, we provide smiles for these kids 365 days a year whether it is Dance Marathon weekend or a Halloween party that we are having for them,” Wright said.

As DM 2005 came to a close last night Wright reflected on the success of this year. He was pleased with the support of everyone on campus and the efforts of the steering committee.

“This year was one of the most amazing years that I have ever been involved in Dance Marathon, he said. “The steering committee members were absolutely amazing. Their hard work and dedication surpassed any expectations that I ever had.”