With a lot of preparation and dedicated students, the Dance Marathon Steering Committee is bringing smiles to the faces of ill children.

For ten years in a row, DM has helped the children of the Children’s Miracle Network. As their theme for their 10th anniversary — “Decade of Miracles, Lifetime of Hope” — Kara LeSage, assistant director of external relations hopes people identify with the years of effort put into the event.

“A common misconception about Dance Marathon is people think students just get together and dance,” she said. “But it’s 365 days of planning.”

The people involved with DM have events, fund-raisers and meetings year-round, including retreats held over the summer.

There are 17 different committees involved with the preparation and four assistant directors who oversee either four or five of those committees.

Jamie Williams, assistant director of planning, is in charge of event management, finance, catering and entertainment committees. He said the assistant directors have the final say on approving events the chairs of the committees suggest.

After several phone calls, faxes, e-mails, meetings and fund-raisers, the students involved with DM finally reap the benefits of their endeavors.

“It’s really awesome that BG students raise money for the children and their families,” said Amy Colvin, chair of faculty/staff relations. “It’s a miracle.”

The job of Brittany Barhite, the public relations chair, is to recruit people and advertise with outside organizations. She gets people on camera to relay the event taking place.

She said it was important to raise awareness to the incoming freshman. “We really tried to push it,” she said. “We wanted to educate the public about Dance Marathon.”

Acting as a liaison for DM for the steering committees and organizations on campus, the Dancer Group Representative informs and relays the planning of events.

For long amounts of time or distances, student dancers, moralers and bikers raise money for the children. Dancers can raise up to $350, moralers can get up to $200 and bikers can equate to $375.

Dancers are on their feet for 32 hours, but with the cheerful support of moralers, who are considered their cheerleaders, they are able to keep going.

“They pump up their dancers,” LeSage said. “The moralers can bring in something special [to the dancers], like a tennis ball. They would be able to roll their feet over the ball to make their feet feel better.”

The bikers are just as important. They bike from Cincinnati to Bowling Green for 185 miles.

Besides the strenuous activity the dancers, moralers and bikers will experience, there will be three bands on stage at the Rec Center to keep up the energy. Lori Sansone, the entertainment chair, said Auto Vectra, Cocoa Beanos and 40% Steve will be pumping up the crowd. Her committee is in charge of making sure all the activities are being followed at their specific time.

What about food? Guests and committee members have to be hungry. Mr. Spots, Pisanello’s, Subway, Domino’s, Papa John’s, Pollyeye’s and University Dining Services will be catering the events. “When their energy is low, we will have plenty of food,” said Christina Case, the catering chair.

Food is a motivation for some people, but the motivation of the DM Steering Committee can be contagious. DM had a spirit week to get people ecstatic about the upcoming event, said Ashley Zergot, the special promotions chair. The committee put together a candle walk, in which candles are lit for the remembrance of miracle children who have died.

All the committees involved agree it is worth it for the children. “It gives hope, it creates role models and keeps their mind off what they’re going through,” Williams said about the kids and their illnesses.

The chairs of the committees went on a trip to Mercy Hospital and viewed premature babies, weighing only a pound. LeSage said the money raised from DM will go to research and life saving equipment.

“I think I stayed involved for the children,” Barhite said. “I see the kids with cancer and some can’t walk; they are amazing. How can I complain about anything in my life? I realize now how important life is.”

It is a wonderful cause, said Jill Schumacher, DGR chair. “[DM] will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Roger Dudley, the event management chair, is in charge of decorations and giving the children gifts and balloons. They could care less about being ill, he said.

“The kids just smile the entire time,” Zergot said. “It’s very rewarding and it’s hard to fit into words.”

The reward is in watching the children enjoy themselves. Kate Freedman, the communications chair, made T-shirts for the DM and became close with one family. She said she enjoyed their company and admired their strength with the disease that has affected their lives.

“Dance Marathon has really impacted my life. It’s the best thing I’ve done on campus,” Sansone said. “Just seeing those kids and the look in their eyes and seeing the joy makes me value my life.”