Students from St. Ambrose University in Davenport reveal the results of fundraising efforts for the 13th annual Dance Marathon. Funds benefit the University of Iowa Healthcare Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City.
By Anne Marie Amacher
The Catholic Messenger
DAVENPORT — St. Ambrose University students danced the day and night away April 5 raising funds to support children and families at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
Will Nemechek, Dance Marathon president, said 147 students participated in the 13th “Big Event,” a 13.1-hour marathon of dancing in the university’s Rogalski Center. Six Quad-City area high schools held mini dance marathons prior to the St. Ambrose event to contribute to the university’s fundraiser.
At St. Ambrose, “We primarily raise funds through peer-to-peer fundraising, so we hold a variety of fundraisers on and off campus throughout the year. We host events such as pickleball and basketball tournaments, fundraisers at local restaurants and other businesses, fundraising push days, bake sales and more,” Nemechek said. “We do this to support 61 families local to the Quad Cities area who have a child who is or has been treated at Stead. We really try to make the event all about them and let these kids be kids for the day … we dance for the families and the kids.” The families are part of the Children’s Miracle Network.
This year, St. Ambrose raised $180,614.32 (including donations from the high school mini marathons). Money goes toward expansion of the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Since 2012, St. Ambrose has raised nearly $2.5 million for a variety of projects at Stead.
