Students Prepare for 12-Hour Dance Marathon for Local Kids

At noon Saturday, about 2,000 dancers will stand poised in Cole Field House, readying themselves for 12 hours of dancing.

But the daylong boogying isn’t about the dancers themselves. It's a fundraiser to support local kids treated at the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

“These events are made to make the kids feel like rock stars,” said Ethan Wergelis-Isaacson, external director of Terp Thon, the  branch of the nationwide Dance Marathon program. The UMd. Terp Thon supports 12 area children, several of whom will be at Saturday's event.

The student organization works year round to raise money through a variety of fundraisers—including restaurant nights at College Park venues and an on-campus carnival—ending with the finale of a 12-hour dance marathon. Dancers who raise a minimum of $100 will be allowed on the dance floor, having pledged to stay on their feet for the full event.

Two years go, in its first year, the event raised $56,000, and in its second year it raised $140,000.

Organizers hope to more than double that amount, and hit $300,000 this year. The total will be announced on Saturday.

As of Tuesday afternoon, about 1,900 dancers were registered, just shy of the group's 2,000-person goal. Last year, the group had 1,200 dancers sign up, with 850 showing up to dance.

Although registration is closed, organizers hope that more students and members of College Park will show up at Cole Field House on Saturday. The event has more energy when the stands are filled, Wergelis-Isaacson said.

And Terp Thon is still accepting donations. Learn how to help here.

Will you be dancing for the kids on Saturday? Send pictures to Shannon.Hoffman@Patch.com, along with caption and photographer info, for a chance to see them on Patch!