Register During 2010 for a Chance at a Big Prize!

Big news!!!  Twelve Bars of Christmas (TBOX), sponsor of CHICAGO Dance Marathon 2011, has donated a 42" flat screen television to be raffled off among all dancers who register by the end of the year!

Here's how it works: register by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, December 31st and you'll be eligible for our drawing.  If you have already registered, no worries - you're already entered!  The lucky winner will be notified just after the New Year.

If you haven't already signed up, what are you waiting for?!  Register today by visiting www.chicagodancemarathon.org and encourage your friends to do the same.  Good luck!

For the Kids!

CHICAGO Dance Marathon Gives Thanks

Although we don't necessarily need a reason, this special time of year invites all of us to pause and give thanks for the blessings in our lives.  We at CHICAGO Dance Marathon have so many reasons to be grateful.  First among them are the amazing children at Children's Memorial Hospital for whom this organization has been dedicated.  Their stories and perseverance, often in the face of incredible struggle, inspire the work we do to support their journeys. We know we are only some of the many people whose lives have been profoundly changed by their incredible examples.

Also among our Thanksgiving blessings are the generous sponsors who have signed on thus far in support of CDM:

• KPMG, LLC.
• Groupon
• CH Robinson
• HUB 51
• Twelve Bars of Christmas (TBOX)
• William Blair

We'd also like to express our deep thanks to the more than 100 dancers that have registered so far for CDM 2011!  If you haven't already signed up, please do so today by visiting our website www.chicagodancemarathon.org.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

For the Kids!

Help Us Volunteer at the World's Most Spectacular Pub Crawl!

CHICAGO Dance Marathon is looking for volunteers to help us support our partnership with Festa Parties' 15th Annual Twelve Bars of Xmas (TBOX), the world's most spectacular pub crawl!  This year's event will take place on Saturday, December 11th, 2010 from 8am until closing time in the pubs of Wrigleyville.  


So how exactly do you volunteer at a pub crawl?  Well, volunteers will work a shift at one of the more than 25 bars participating in the event.  You'll act as a representative of TBOX on site, passing out stickers, taking pictures, greeting crawlers, distributing the infamous cereal shots, socializing and chatting up CHICAGO Dance Marathon!  As an added plus, each volunteer will get two free meals and free soft drinks provided by their stationed bar.


Shifts are from 11:30 am until 9:30 pm.  All volunteers must attend a training session on Wednesday, December 1st at 7:30 at Rebel Bar (3462 N. Clark) in Wrigleyville.


Interested in helping?  Contact Annie McNulty at amcnulty@chicagodancemarathon.org for a registration form.  Hope you can join us!


For more info on TBOX 2010, please visit www.festaparties.com 

Join Us for a Dancer Appreciation Event November 3rd!

Because of your contributions to our wildly successful inaugural year of CHICAGO Dance Marathon, we'd like to invite you and a guest for an insider's look at what we have planned for CDM 2011.


Please join us on November 3rd at Children's Memorial Hospital in Lincoln Park!


6:30 - 7 pm: Light hors d'oeuvres and drinks
7 - 7:30 pm: Meet miracle child Harlow and her family!
7:30 - 8:30 pm: Take an exclusive tour of the hospital


This event has limited availability. Please RSVP to alingris@chicagodancemarathon.org by November 1st.


About Harlow
"At four months old, Harlow was diagnosed with a grapefruit-sized solid tumor in her abdomen.  The pathology was sent across the country to determine what kind of tumor it was but it turned out that no one had ever seen anything like it before.  The closest thing it resembled was a very rare type of brain tumor.  We were referred to the oncology department at Children's Memorial Hospital and told that they would be the best to handle something of this nature." 

New Website and Registration Discount!

We're so excited to share that CHICAGO Dance Marathon has a brand new website!  Check it out at www.chicagodancemarathon.org.  

While you're there, sign up as a dancer for our event on March 19th.  Registration is 50% off now until November 15th!  Hurry - the discount is a limited time offer!  You can register as a team, too, so grab your friends and join today!

Date and Location for CDM 2011 Announced!

It's official- the date and location for CHICAGO Dance Marathon 2011 have been announced!  

Mark your calendars for Saturday, March 19th and plan to join us at the Sheraton Hotel right off the river in the heart of downtown Chicago!

Start thinking about all the friends you're going to recruit for your team this year!  Blog this info, tweet it, Facebook it, do whatever you need to do spread the word!

Registration details are coming soon.  Stay tuned to this blog for the latest updates, follow us on Twitter @ChicagoDM or become a fan of our Facebook page: "Chicago Dance Marathon."

For the Kids!

Isabella and Anna Beat the Odds

After facing serious health challenges as premature infants,
twins Isabella and Anna Chou are healthy
and happy little girls today,
thanks to the care they received at Children’s Memorial.

Rare, extraordinary, one in a million. All could describe the journey of Isabella and Anna Chou. Born prematurely with a number of medical complications between them, the girls have thrived through difficult starts to life, thanks to leading pediatric experts at Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Five months into her pregnancy, Sohyun Chou and her husband Wise learned they were having monoamniotic twins, a rare type of twins who share the same amniotic sac. They also received sobering news: the most common complication is umbilical cord entanglement and the mortality rate is 50 percent.

While in the womb, Isabella was diagnosed with mirror image dextrocardia, meaning the heart formed on the opposite (right) side of her body. Anna was diagnosed with an encephalocele, a rare sac-like protrusion of the brain through an opening in the skull. The main concern for Anna was whether the encephalocele was covered with skin or exposed, which couldn’t be confirmed until she was born.

“It was all so shocking. I never thought we would have twins, and certainly didn’t anticipate all these complications,” says Sohyun. “Everyone we knew was having perfectly healthy babies.”

Children’s Memorial’s Division of Neonatology, led by Robin Steinhorn, MD, is devoted to treating newborns like Anna and Isabella who require the highest level of expertise and care. Each year, the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) team cares for approximately 600 critically ill newborns, babies who are transferred from area hospitals that cannot meet their complex needs.

The girls were born six weeks prematurely at Prentice Women’s Hospital in downtown Chicago, where Children’s Memorial neonatologists work closely with their Prentice colleagues, rotating service between the two hospitals’ NICUs. Isabella was unable to breathe on her own and needed to be transferred to the NICU at Children’s Memorial. Anna, whose encephalocele fortunately was covered, remained at Prentice to grow and gain strength. “It was heartbreaking to have the twins separated,” says Sohyun. “The girls hadn’t met each other outside of the womb.”

Sohyun and Wise also learned that Isabella had only one lung as well as an extremely narrow trachea, which made it impossible for her to breathe unaided. They met with Dr. Steinhorn, who arranged a consultation with Carl L. Backer, MD, head of the Division of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgery, and Lauren D. Holinger, MD, head of the Division of Otolaryngology.Dr. Backer, a leading expert in treating Isabella’s extremely rare condition and the A.C. Buehler Professor of Surgery, explained that he would perform a rare procedure, a slide tracheoplasty. In this operation the trachea is initially cut in half and then each half is cut vertically. The two sections “slide” together to create a new trachea that is half as long but with four times the internal diameter.

Dr. Holinger cautioned Sohyun and Wise of a tough road ahead with a host of potential complications and a long recovery for Isabella. The primary concern was the formation of scar tissue, which could necessitate repeated surgeries. “We were nervous, but the fact that Dr. Backer and Dr. Holinger are so well-known definitely made us feel a lot better,” says Wise.

At only five days of age and weighing less than five pounds, Isabella underwent an intensive six-hour surgery performed by Dr. Backer and Dr. Holinger to reconstruct her trachea. The surgery required great precision, as her trachea ring was about the diameter of a Cheerio®.

Despite the risks and expected complications, Isabella’s recovery was phenomenal. “Hers was one of the best recoveries I’ve ever seen for this procedure,” says Dr. Holinger, the Paul H. Holinger, MD Professor of Pediatric Otolaryngology.

When she was two months old, Isabella came home for the first time and was finally reunited with her sister. Anna, who had been home since she was three weeks old, underwent surgery at five months old to remove the encephalocele on her head.

Isabella and Anna, now 2½ years old, love to play together and speak their “twin talk.” They are catching up to their peers, thanks to early intervention through speech, physical, developmental and occupational therapies.

Dr. Steinhorn, the Raymond and Hazel Speck Berry Professor of Neonatology, recently ran into Anna and Isabella in the hospital lobby and says she could not believe her eyes. “It was amazing to see these girls, who were so ill as infants, running around as toddlers.”

Because she is living with one lung, Isabella can become winded if she overexerts herself, but is just as active as her sister, if not more so. All in all, they are healthy, happy and show few signs of their complex medical journeys.

“As neonatologists, our mindset is different than it was 10 years ago,” says Dr. Steinhorn. “Survival is no longer the only desired outcome; it’s about finding ways to increase the quality of children’s lives. We want to see former NICU babies running around on the playground and thriving at school. Anything less than a full life is unacceptable to us.”

Dr. Steinhorn looks forward to the completion of Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago in 2012, and what it will make possible. “Our new facility and location will make us whole,” says Dr. Steinhorn. “It will allow mothers and babies, siblings and families, to stay together. It will enable us to deliver the full continuum of care, beginning with fetal life, and to collaborate with our clinical and research colleagues in ways we can’t do now because of the distance between our institutions.”

Sohyun and Wise are especially excited about the private rooms planned for the new NICU, along with its convenient location next to Prentice. “It will be so great for new parents to have that privacy and closeness, especially for recovering moms to be able to visit their babies,” says Sohyun. “It will help the whole family heal better, both physically and emotionally.”

Neonatal care at Children’s Memorial is generously supported by the Founders’ Board, Mr. and Mrs. Dennis J. Keller, Wood Family Foundation, Children’s Research Foundation, Inc., Digital Printing Center, Inc., Emanuel J. Petru Family Foundation, the Searle Family, Mr. and Mrs. K. Jay Weaver and Joyce H. Williams.

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2010 issue of Hero

Gearing up for CDM 2011

The CHICAGO Dance Marathon 2011 planning committee is hard at work laying the groundwork for next year's event.  With more than 200 dancers and over $240,000 raised last year during our inaugural event, we've created some big shoes for ourselves to fill!  We're up to the challenge though and we know you are, too.

Check back frequently for updates coming soon about the date, location and all kinds of event specifics for next year's marathon.

We can't wait!  FTK!

CHICAGO Dance Marathon 2011 Leadership Positions Now Open!

Planning is already underway for CHICAGO Dance Marathon 2011 and we're searching for some  energetic and creative folks to help round out our dedicated team!


We currently have two director positions available on our executive council and are looking for applications.  If you are interested in applying for either the RECRUITMENT Director position or the SPONSORSHIP Director position please fill out the CDM Director Openings Application.  We also have a host of chair positions available, if you are interested in one of these roles please fill out and the Chair Position Application.  


If you have a passion for CHICAGO Dance Marathon and are looking for a fantastic leadership opportunity, consider filling out an application to join our team. Applications are due Monday, June 21 by 6 p.m.


More information can be found on the Children's Memorial Hospital Web site.  Good luck!

Final Days for Fundraising!

We have EXTENDED the deadline for fundraising until Monday, April 5th.  Please use the rest of the week and holiday weekend to reach your fundraising goal! The kids at Children’s Memorial Hospital are counting on you and we know you can do it!

How can you meet your goal??

A few quick ideas:

1) Email family and friends and include a link to your web page.
2) Post your link and status on Facebook or Twitter asking for support!
3) Host a party; ask for donations.
4) Stay in! Save the dollars you would have spent going out or costs for extra activities!

Send your checks to:
Children’s Memorial Foundation
Attn: Dance Marathon
2300 Children’s Plaza, Box 4
Chicago, IL 60614

Thank you so much for your tremendous support! You have helped makes miracles possible at Children’s Memorial.

A date for CHICAGO Dance Marathon 2011 is still to be determined. Stay tuned to our web site www.chicagodancemarathon.org for updates.

Thank you and enjoy the beautiful weather!

Keep Fundraising!

Remember: you still have until April 2nd to collect your funds! We are counting on everyone to reach their goal! We encourage you to continue to email your family and friends as well as host events for Dance Marathon so that you can reach (and even surpass) your goal number!

If you have checks that you need to turn in, you can do so by sending them to:

Children’s Memorial Foundation
Attn: Dance Marathon
2300 Children’s Plaza, Box 4
Chicago, IL 60614

Thanks so much for all your continued support.  For the Kids!

See Davis' Unbelievable Story

In case you missed Davis and his family on Saturday, check out his unbelievable story.  


http://www.myfoxchicago.com/dpp/community/childrens_miracle_network/miracle-davis-dix

A Special Message...

Well, today was the big day!  While all the young kids are now (hopefully) tucked into bed and all us old kids are happily icing our knees and contemplating back massages(!), we wanted to check in to express our sincere and heartfelt appreciation to everyone who was involved in any capacity with the tremendous success of CHICAGO Dance Marathon, the very first urban dance marathon in the country!


Today, on the first beautiful weekend day we've had weather-wise in Chicagoland in quite some time, hundreds of dancers, volunteers, miracle families and visitors gave up their entire Saturday for a cause greater than themselves.  We packed the dance floor for 13.1 hours, never sitting down and never giving up!  Together we raised...get this...$240,068.80 (and counting) for Children's Memorial Hospital!!!!!!  We hear that may be a record for an inaugural year event!


Over the next days, weeks and even months, we'll be sharing tons more about the event on our blog - photos, stories, videos, etc.  For now though, please know that none of this would have been possible without your support - both financial and emotional!  Although it doesn't seem like nearly enough to adequately express our gratitude, we'd just like to say from the bottom of our hearts...thank you.


For The Kids!

Aidan's Got His Dancin' Shoes On! Do You?!

The countdown to CHICAGO Dance Marathon is officially at ONE!!!  We can't wait to see all our amazing dancers bright and early tomorrow morning for an incredibly fun time for an incredibly great cause!


In case you missed it, our friend, Aidan, was recently featured in a special on FOX Chicago!  Check him out here..and check him out tomorrow at the marathon!  He's got his dancin; shoes on!  Do you?!


See you tomorrow!  FOR THE KIDS!!!

Meet Max on Saturday!

Beneath the mask he almost always wears when he's out and about, Max Herrick is chomping his gum. He can blow bubbles. He can imitate a frog. And while his face may be covered, it's easy to see his smile.

The halls of Children's Memorial Hospital are like a second home to Max, even though he's pretty clear, saying: "The only thing I like at the hospital is the play rooms."

Max, at heart, is a fighter. Because Max has been fighting for his heart since the day he was born.

Hear Max tell his story at Dance Marathon!  See you Saturday!

Children's Memorial Volunteers Catch Dance Fever!

Check out the slick moves from Children's Memorial Hospital's very own volunteers!  They can't wait to see you on Saturday and neither can we!  For the Kids!

Get Excited - CDM Is Just Five Days Away!!!

We've got entertainment, games and much more ready for you! Here's a brief run down of just some of what will be happening in five days at CHICAGO Dance Marathon!

• Personal stories of hope and courage, told by young patients and their families!
• Celebrity guest Jesse Csincsak from ABC's "The Bachelorette," who will host a special edition of the “Singled Out” dating game.
• Musical performances from the Breakfast Club (80s cover band), KAOTIC (drum line) and Be the Groove (stomp act).
• Improv comedy performances from an iO (formerly Improv Olympic) troupe
• Trivia competition hosted by State Bar & Restaurant
• Interactive games such as Nintendo Wii, Dance Dance Revolution
• DJ “Big D” spinning dance and party favorites to keep the crowd moving

We are still recruiting! Help us by telling your family, friends, co-workers and more! On-site registration on the day of the event will be available so there's still plenty of time to get involved!  

Haven't raised all your money yet?  Don't sweat!  Fundraising doesn't close until April 2nd!

See you soon!

Meet Rosie at CHICAGO Dance Marathon - One Week From Today!!!

At right: Rosie (right) gives her big sister, Bella, a hug.


It takes a special child to remain cheerful in the face of a life-threatening disease. But 5-year-old Rosie Colucci has little time for self-pity, despite her daily battle with neurofibromatosis, which has resulted in an inoperable brain tumor and more than a half dozen chronic conditions. She's too busy raising money for pediatric research and collecting toys for the kids treated at Children's Memorial Hospital.  And she'll be at CHICAGO Dance Marathon one week from today!!!  Read Rosie's full story.


See a special message from Rosie!




There's still time! Sign up today at www.chicagodancemarathon.org!

All You Can Drink This Friday!

Another opportunity to meet up with fellow CHICAGO Dance Marathoners for a great cause!

When:
Friday, February 26, 2010
10 p.m. - 1 a.m.


Where:
Waterhouse Tavern and Grill
3407 North Paulina Street
Chicago, IL 60657

$25 all you can drink! See you there!

Come Tailgate at Kirkwood this Sunday!

Iowa or Indiana?!

Come cheer on your team (and bring your friends!) at Kirkwood Bar and Grill this Sunday, February 28th. A $30 drink deal includes domestic draft, wells and wine!!!

What else would you rather be doing on a nice Sunday afternoon?

When:
Sunday, February 28th
4-7 p.m.

Where:
Kirkwood Bar and Grill
2934 North Sheffield Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657

For the Kids!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org

Happy Hour for the Kids!

Please join us for a happy hour and fundraising event for CHICAGO Dance Marathon this Friday, February 26th at The Kerryman!  We will be located on the second floor in a reserved area just past the bar.  Your $30 wristband will include all-you-can-drink domestic drafts and bottles, wine and well drinks from 6-8 p.m.  All profits from the event will go directly to Children's Memorial Hospital via CHICAGO Dance Marathon.  Hope to see you all there - feel free to bring guests!

When: 

Friday, February 26th

6-8 p.m.

Location:

The Kerryman

661 N. Clark Street

Chicago, IL 60610

For the Kids!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org

Did You Know?

• If you raise $500, that could buy 68 packs of preemie diapers for the NICU.  Each year, Children's Memorial Hospital goes through 119, 200 diapers!
• If you raise $500, that could buy 125 packs of band-aids.  Each year, CMH goes through 298,000!
• Did you know that CMH treats one out of every eight kids in the Chicago area?  Every dime you raise helps Chicago's kids get better!

See you soon at Chicago Dance Marathon!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org 

Come Hang with Big D at CHICAGO Dance Marathon!

Fundraising Tips of the Day! (Part 5 of 5)

Happy Friday, everyone!  Here are some more great fundraising tips to round out the week!

• Perform a free service for donations: Shovel snow, baby-sit or walk dogs. Friends, family and neighbors are always looking for some extra help. Lend a hand in exchange for their donations.
• It’s Party Time! Host a party at your home or at a local restaurant or bar with food and/or drinks. Charge a cover to guests and put the proceeds to your campaign. Entertain your guests by having card, drinking or fun games or tournaments.  There are tons of bars that will let you do a package "All You Can Drink” wristband and they you can charge over this cost to have the profits assist in your dancer total!
• Lastly, look into Employee Match Programs: Lots of time places of employment will have a matching gifts program.  If so, you can easily double or triple your fundraising dollars.  Ask your donors as well; they may have a program through their own employer.  Companies encourage their employees to participate in the community.  Lots of times it is a simple paper form that is very easy and your company appreciates your involvement.

For the Kids!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org

Prizes!!!

You know what's better than dancing all day long for the kids at Children's Memorial Hospital? WINNING PRIZES while dancing all day long for the kids at Children's Memorial Hospital!

Here are the just-announced awesome prizes that all of you can win if you hit these different fundraising levels:

Every dancer that raises $750 - $1,000 gets put in a drawing for...

• A Playstation 3, a Flip Camera, and more!
• 2009 signed football by the Penn State Nittany Lions
• Joe Paterno Autographed Mini-Helmet
• Gift Cards to Chicago's favorite bars, restaurants, and night clubs
• And more!

Every dancer that raises $1,001 - $1,449 gets put in the drawing for the above prizes as well as...

• 46" Plasma HDTV
• Phil Mickelson Signed Pin Flag
• Bentley Car Service and room for one night at the Westin Michigan Ave.
• And more!

Every dancer that raises $1,500+ gets the chance to win...

• 5 night / 6 day stay at any Hilton Caribbean hotel or resort in the Caribbean
• And more!

We'll see you on the dance floor!

Fundraising Tips of the Day! (Part 4 of 5)

More fundraising tips!

• Parking space contest: For those who have strict parking at your office building, hold a contest to see who can raise the most money in one week. Whoever wins gets to park in the best parking space available. You can determine whether the person parks there for a day, week, or even month! 
• Eating marathon: Have a pie eating, hot-dog eating, or ice cream-eating contest. You can charge people to participate or to watch, or you can make all participants obtain pledges. 
• Guess the number of coins in a jar: The winner receives all the coins and your group makes money by charging people for guesses.

For the Kids!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org 

Dancing for Harlow - and All the Brave Kids at Children's Memorial

Little Harlow hasn’t even turned two yet, but has endured more than most of us can imagine – 12 weeks of chemotherapy, 100+ overnights in the hospital, 40+ blood transfusions, eight surgeries, two stem cell transplants and much more – all to treat an extremely rare and life-threatening tumor in her abdomen. (Click here to read Harlow's full story).

To honor her daughter’s brave journey, Harlow’s mom, Jamie, is taking part in the first-ever Chicago Dance Marathon on Saturday, March 6.  This high-energy 13-hour event will raise vital funds for Children’s Memorial Hospital.  

More dancers are needed! Hurry, sign up today at chicagodancemarathon.org. You can help save a child like Harlow!

Fundraising Tips of the Day! (Part 3 of 5)

Looking for some more fundraising tips?

• Theme party: Decide on a fun theme such as a masquerade ball, 80’s party, or dress as your favorite movie star. Charge an entrance fee to cover any food/beverage expenses and explain where the remainder of the money is going.
• Games Night: Organize an evening of board games or a night of trivia and ask for a donation from those who attend.
• Book sale: Ask all your co-workers, friends, and relatives to donate their old books.  Advertise your book sale by means of posters and flyers. Set up a table and sell books. If there are leftovers, you can always give them to a needy library, shelter, or school.

For the Kids!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org 

Fundraising Tips of the Day! (Part 2 of 5)

More great tips for fundraising success!

• Last one in: See if you or your boss can charge those who come to work late a small fee. Keep this up for a month and you will have raised a great deal of money! Also provide a prize for those people who arrive on time everyday for that month such as a free lunch or leaving work early.
• Raffles: Contact local shops about donating raffle prizes, and sell raffle tickets. Make sure you let the local shops know that their donation is tax deductible! Or talk to your company personnel about raffling off an extra day off or a long lunch break.  Check with someone from CHICAGO Dance Marathon (email chicagodancemarathon@gmail.com) before you move forward with organizations.  
• Jellybean count: Fill a large jar with jellybeans and have people donate to guess how many there are in the jar. You can put this out at lunchtime, at a meeting, or even at the front desk so people notice when entering the building.

For the Kids!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org 

Fundraising Tips of the Day! (Part 1 of 5)

Check back in on the blog all this week for great tips for fundraising success!  Here are a few to get us started.  Find one that will work for you!

• Dress-down day: If you work in a corporation that does not allow jeans, see if you can allow one day where you can dress down and wear whatever you like. Charge each person who wants to participate—$5-$10 is a good amount. 
• Pancake breakfast: Gather your CHICAGO Dance Marathon team together and make a pancake breakfast at your work cafeteria, place of worship, or even your own home! Charge others to enjoy your home cooking! 
• Coffee morning: Encourage a nearby coffee shop to come in for the morning and provide coffee and treats to your co-workers. Everyone who wishes to relax and enjoy the coffee must pay a flat fee. Arrange that the coffee shop donate some of the profits to the CHICAGO Dance Marathon. Plus, the coffee will energize everyone for a productive day at work!

For the Kids!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org

Less Than One Month Until CHICAGO Dance Marathon!

Hey DMers!  The countdown is officially less than one month until CHICAGO Dance Marathon!  We'll be dedicating the blog this week to lots of tips and tricks to help you with your fundraising.  Remember: each participant is required to raise a minimum of $500.  As part of the team incentive, your individual fundraising requirement moves to $400 when you participate in a group of five or more.  (Click here for more details about team incentives). Although the event is March 6th, the fundraising deadline isn't until April 2nd so there's still plenty of time to rake in the dough!  If you have questions regarding fundraising or just need a bit more clarification, please don't hesitate to email Jess Cole, our recruitment director, at jcole@chicagodancemarathon.org.  And don't forget to encourage your friends to sign up!  Register today at www.chicagodancemarathon.org!

Start Today! 

Start your fundraising as soon as possible – if you haven’t already, set up your website today! By getting the majority of your fundraising out of the way early on it will take the burden off of your shoulders and let you hit higher goals to help the kids, as well as win excellent fundraising incentives! The more people you contact, the easier it will be to reach your goal. You will be surprised by your results, and your contacts will feel privledged to support your efforts for such a worthy cause.

Just Ask!

Make sure you ask everyone you know for support. Friends, family members, coworkers, doctors, real estate agents, financial advisors, CTA Guard – everybody! Don’t make the mistake of assuming people will not donate – you never know who will be touched by your commitment to helping Children’s Memorial Hospital!

Follow Up.

“It takes the average person 9 times to hear something before they take action.”

It’s natural for people to read your first email and forget about it. Make a follow-up creative by adding stories or pictures– your dedication to your fundraising goals will be apparent, and people are more likely to respond after they’ve heard from you more than once.

Let your donors know why CHICAGO Dance Marathon matters to you! 

Let your supporters know why you are dancing for CHICAGO Dance Marathon and how their contributions will help children at the local hospital. Keep them updated with your progress after they donate so that they’re not only hearing from you before donating – enroll them in your goal! The more connected they feel, the more they will support you.

Be specific.

Don’t limit your donors, but ask for a specific range - $10, $20, $50, or whatever their budget will allow. You can even break down your fundraising minimum per hour, and ask donors to sponsor each hour you dance! You also need to be specific with yourself—set a fundraising goal. What if everyone gave $10? What if everyone gave $20? Set your goal high and reach for the stars!

Give a 10-day deadline for a response.

People respond when there is a sense of urgency. In your email messages, tell people they can simply click the “click here to donate” link to make their donation online quickly and easily, and ask them to do so by a specific date. It will greatly help the call to action, as well as your follow up after that date.

This Is What It's All About

Register for CHICAGO Dance Marathon today: www.chicagodancemarathon.org

For the Kids...

Dance Marathon Wristband Night!

Mark your calendars and join us this Saturday, February 6th for Dance Marathon Wristband Night at STATE!

Wristbands are $30 with $10 from each wristband going directly to our fundraising efforts. For your money, you'll not only have access to an open bar (excluding premium liquor and Red Bull) and passed hors d'oeuvres for three hours, but you'll also have another chance to come together with a bunch of other CDMers and have fun as a group.  Come join us!

Where:

STATE - 935 W. Webster, Chicago

When:

Saturday, February 6th

9 p.m. - Midnight

If you haven't already, register today for CDM!  www.chicagodancemarathon.org! 

Hey Ladies...

Guess who's coming to CHICAGO Dance Marathon?! Jesse Csincsak from season 4 of ABC's The Bachelorette!

A professional snowboarder, Jesse has also appeared as a coach on MTV's MADE, with a second appearance having just been filmed this month.  He also recently signed up for his first television hosting gig next month for a program called "Beyond the Medal" at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver, Canada!

In addition to being a cool and famous cutie, we love Jesse because of his huge heart and willingness to travel the country supporting various charity events.  He is the founder of JSAK (Just Snowboarding Ambitous Kids), a non-profit organization that helps snowboarders with Olympic aspirations raise money for training, travel, and related expenses so they may reach their snowboarding and life goals.  Check him out at www.jessecsincsak.com.

Come out March 6th to meet Jesse and the awesome miracle families from Children's Memorial Hospital.  We promise - it'll be an event you'll never forget.  Register today at www.chicagodancemarathon.org!

Fundraising Incentives for Teams!

As you may know, there is a $30 registration fee and $500 individual fundraising requirement per CHICAGO Dance Marathon participant. 

However, gather a group of your friends and participate as a team! Not only will you have a blast together but you can also fundraise collectively! Teams of five or more benefit from a reduced individual fundraising requirement - $400 instead of $500. Team fundraising makes this even more worthwhile! Let's say a teammate only raises $300, but another raises $500. This averages out to the $400 minimum per person!

So team up with your friends and come hang out with us March, 6th!  We can't wait to see you there!  FOR THE KIDS!!!

Joakim Noah and Aiden Stotz Boogie Down: MTV Cribs Style!

Come Out To A Non-Profit Networking Mixer This Wednesday!

Join YPC and Chicago Non-Profit (http://www.chicagononprofit.org/) for the first non-profit networking event of 2010! Approximately 10 non-profit organizations will be present (including CHICAGO Dance Marathon!).  Thaddeus Wong, co-founder of @properties and the event's keynote speaker, will provide insight into the current state of Chicago's non-profit community, as well as the importance of getting more involved. If you're interested in discovering new volunteer opportunities, learning about new causes in need, or just networking with other civic-minded young professionals, this is the event for you!

http://www.ypchicago.org/events/event_details.asp?id=88187

When: 

Wednesday, January 27th, 2010 

5:30 - 8 pm

Where:

Metropolitan Club

233 South Wacker Drive

Willis Tower - 67th Floor

Chicago, IL 60606

For more details:

mfineman@chicagononprofit.org

Tickets are only $15 for YPC Members, $20 for non-members, and will include heavy appetizers and one drink per person. Space is limited, so register now! Stop by the CHICAGO Dance Marathon table to say hi!

CDM Featured In the Sun-Times!

CHICAGO Dance Marathon was featured today in the Chicago Sun-Times with a little help from Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls! Check it out! And if you haven't already signed up, hop to it! www.chicagodancemarathon.org


http://blogs.suntimes.com/ourtown/2010/01/chicago_dance_marathon.html

You Have 8,760 Hours in 2010...

Just 13.1 of these could save a child's life.


Be a part of the first ever CHICAGO Dance Marathon!  Not a dancer?  No worries.  Just remain on your feet during this high energy 13.1 hour event on Saturday, March 6th to support the brave kids at Children's Memorial Hospital.


Hurry!!!  Register today at www.chicagodancemarathon.org! 

Jonathan's Story

Jonathan Davis was born at 27 weeks and weighed only 2 lbs, 11 oz.  His diagnosis: Chronic Illnesses.  Born premature, he suffered many complications, including an esophagus that was separated in two parts.  He spent his first 102 days of life in Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago connected to myriad life-saving equipment.  Throughout his life, he was hospitalized so many times and had so many surgeries that his parents stopped counting the number of desperate midnight calls from doctors urging them to return to the hospital for fear that he might not survive the night.

Today, Jonathan is a sophomore at De LaSalle Institute, where he participates on the golf and swim teams.  He has overcome the unthinkable but he couldn't have done it alone.  He needed all of you, and he will be there to thank you personally on March 6th, 2010 when we stand together for 13.1 hours.  We're dancing to save the lives of countless other children so, like Jonathan, they too can share their stories many from now.

Register today at www.chicagodancemarathon.org!

Join Us At Quartino This Tuesday!!!

What are you doing this coming Tuesday, January 26th from 6-9 p.m.? You're hanging out with us! We'll be waiting for you at Quartino on 626 North State St.

$20 will get you heavy appetizers and a wine tasting! Come for food and fun, and stay to learn more about getting involved with CHICAGO Dance Marathon benefitting Children's Memorial Hospital. Make a resolution to get involved and volunteer in 2010!


What: Party With a Purpose

Where: Quartino, 626 North State St.

When: Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 6-9 p.m.

What to Bring: $20, your appetite and motivation to join CDM!

Event sponsored by Players Sports Group, Children's Memorial Hospital and CHICAGO Dance Marathon. 

For the Kids

So, what exactly is Dance Marathon, you ask?  Just click. :)

But don't stop there.  Sign up today at www.chicagodancemarathon.org 

A Look Back: Holiday Cheer and Ugly Sweaters!

On Friday, December 18th, young professionals across Chicago came out for food, drinks, friends and ugly sweater fun to support CHICAGO Dance Marathon and Children's Memorial Hospital.  Thanks to our friends at Faith and Whiskey for hosting such a great night! For the Kids!