This is what the junior competitive dance group at Rhythm Dance Studio had to say when asked why they decided to organize a dance-a-thon to raise money for UHN’s COVID-19 Emergency Fund through a fundraiser with Toronto General & Western Hospital Foundation.
On Sunday, May 24, the group of 13 junior dancers held a virtual dance-a-thon with friends, dance teachers and choreographers. They danced all afternoon, taking classes in a variety of styles including jazz, lyrical and hip-hop, and even working on their strength and technique with conditioning classes.
The dancers asked participants and supporters to donate whatever they could to their personal fundraising page. They started out with a goal of $1,500, but very quickly surpassed that amount by an incredible margin, raising more than $20,000 by the end of the dance-a-thon.
They hope that the funds raised will help UHN acquire the necessary equipment to treat patients throughout the pandemic and also to ensure that everyone diagnosed will have proper care. In addition, they’d like the funds to support UHN’s research efforts including the search for new treatments and solutions to the virus. UHN was chosen as the recipient of their fundraiser because it is made up of multiple hospitals, and they felt that the money raised could be used to help the greatest number of people.
It’s an amazing achievement for these young people to organize a successful event like this dance-a-thon, raising a substantial amount of money for an important cause.
This fundraiser was created and run by the Rhythm Dance Studio Juniors: Abigail Strasser, Addison DeBora, Andi Fenwick, Brooke Mecklinger, Chloe Wise, Dahlia Wolff, Hannah Press, Joey Sieradzki, Lexi Mindel, Madison Abenstein, Miley Greenberg, Olivia Matus and Sydney So