A sea of orange flooded into the Maucker Union this past Saturday when UNI Dance Marathon hosted their seventh annual “Big Event.” All the money raised by UNI Dance Marathon supports the Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Miracle Network.

Attendees on Saturday were on their feet dancing for a total of 12 hours, trying to raise as much money as they could for their miracle families. There were several activities to keep the dancers active and engaged throughout the day, such as laser tag, the morale dance and interacting with the miracle kids and their families.

“The feet are a little sore, but I’m ready to go,” said Jessica Alexander, a morale captain for UNI Dance Marathon. “It’s so much fun to know that we have a lot more time to fundraise and know that I think if we work hard, we’ll be able to reach $500,000, which is a big number!”

Jessica Alexander, a senior elementary and early childhood education major, has been involved in Dance Marathon her entire four years at UNI and has been a morale captain for the last three years.

“I love the fact that I get to be doing something bigger than myself, with all these people that care so much,” Alexander said. “I have gotten to get my second family through Dance Marathon here. My morale family has changed my experience at UNI. I get to go there any day of the week and just getting to see the kids grow up, it can make me cry! I love it.”

Alexander also discussed the impact Dance Marathon can have on both the dancers involved in the organization and the miracle kids and their families.

“It’s life changing! Meeting these kids will change your life; it gives you a whole new perspective, and it makes you realize what truly matters,” Alexander said. “This is like their birthday and Christmas and their graduation day, all put into one.”

UNI Dance Marathon was able to exceed their goal on Saturday and raise a total of $550,713.07, which means that the University of Iowa Children’s Hospital will be able to fund a new transport team.