Auburn University Dance Marathon kicked off the semester on Wednesday night the best way they knew how: with a two-hour dance rave fit with neon tutus, bright face paint, glow sticks and an unrelenting passion to inspire Auburn’s student body to give its all for the kids.
“It’s a little piece of Main Event,” said Megan Hackett, assistant director of morale. “You can’t be a part of AUDM and not be in love with it and what it stands for.”
During Welcome Week, AUDM’s staff worked hard to spread the word to the incoming students about the non-profit’s cause as well as the passion surrounding its events in hopes of inspiring even more students to join in on the fun.
“One thing we want to do is welcome all the students back to Auburn after the summer,” said Hannah Crosby, AUDM president. “But we also want to show people what our main event is like and get a glimpse of how fun it is so that they’ll want to register and join us and fundraise throughout the year.”
Previously serving as vice president of recruitment, Crosby helped double the number of students who attended the rave last year. As president, she plans on continuing that effort by vamping up the FTFiveK into a color run and getting larger performers for the Main Event.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” Crosby said. “But I love it, and I love the staff, and I love the reason why we do this.”
After her father was diagnosed with thyroid cancer her sophomore year, Crosby said the cause became more personal.
“I realized it was so hard for me to watch my dad go through that, it would be 40 times harder to watch your own child go through something like that,” she said. “It made me want to apply for leadership roles; it made my passion grow a lot from that.”
Crosby’s passion for AUDM’s mission is shared across the staff, particularly by Maria Miller, AUDM’s vice president of operations and the mind behind the Welcome Week Rave.
“I started [Dance Marathon] in high school, but I didn’t feel fulfilled until college,” Miller said. “I loved it freshman year, but once I learned about the kids and their stories, my passion just flew off the roof.”
And that passion was felt whole heartedly by everyone who attended the rave. Students, AUDM staff and Aubie sang and danced to a DJ while decked out in their best rave attire, enjoying free pizza and learning all about the reasons behind AUDM.
“It’s definitely all about hearing the kids’ stories and getting to know other fellow people that are so passionate about what I’m so passionate about,” Miller said. “I couldn’t do my college career without Auburn University Dance Marathon. It’s my life.”
After raising $541,832.09 at their Main Event last year, the AUDM staff has high hopes for the upcoming year, as anyone within ear shot of the Student Center Ballroom on Wednesday night could attest. But, their hope is also to inspire the next generation to be just as passionate as them, beginning with the Welcome Week Rave.
“It’s us showing the freshman just a taste of what we are,” said Kirby Wallace, vice president of marketing. “It’s getting them excited, sparking some interest in getting them involved and learning more about our program, to meet each other and be a nice starter for the year.”
Committee applications for freshmen are now open for those interested in joining AUDM. For other information about AUDM, visit their website at http://www.audancemarathon.com/.
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