Meccathon

Frequently Asked Questions

 

• What is Meccathon?

  • Meccathon is Howard University’s first ever Dance Marathon. More specifically, it is a 12-hour celebration of the fundraising we will do for our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, Children’s National Medical Center.  

 

• When/Where is it?

  • April 2016, 12 pm- 12am. Location and exact date to be announced.

 

• So it’s just a party?

  • No, it’s a celebration of the funds we will raise to benefit the children at Children’s National Medical Center.

 

• How much do I have to raise?

  • In order to participate at the dance marathon on April 18th, you must fundraise a minimum of $50 by the date of the event. Registration is FREE!

 

• How do I raise this money? 

  • When you register, you will receive your own online fundraising page.  From that page, you can send emails, tweet, update your Facebook status, or text people to get donations.  In addition, you will receive emails from the Meccathon Committee leading up to the dance marathon with different fundraising ideas. You can also get your on campus organization involved and have them help you raise money.

 

• Why should I do this?

  • Children’s National Medical Center never turns a child away, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Each dollar raised helps Children’s National provide high quality healthcare to children in our community, as well as all over the country and the world! As an active participant, the funds you raise will allow the children at the hospital to make great strides towards regaining their health.   

 

• How do I get involved with Meccathon?

  • There are many different ways to get involved in Meccathon. You can join the team of a participating student organization, start your own team, or dance/fundraise independently. For more information on getting involved, click here.

 

• How do I register for Meccathon?

  • All you have to do is visit meccathon.org and click Register Now. From there you will be able to fill out your specific information.

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• What is the difference between a spirit dancer and a dancer?

  • A dancer is a student who is raising money and will pledge to stand on their feet for 12 hours in the spring. A spirit dancer is someone who would like to raise money for the hospital, but cannot make the spring event. If you think you have signed up incorrectly, send an email to meccathon.dm@gmail.com to change this.

 

• Do I have to dance the whole time?

  • No, you are not required to dance for the 12 hours. Actually, you're not required to dance at all. There is definitely a lot of dancing going on at the dance marathon event, but you simply pledge to stand on your feet for 12 hours straight. There are other activities besides dancing to fill your time. The kids are there to interact with along with fun games, arts and crafts, and plenty of time to hang out with friends and meet new people.

 

• What are the requirements of being a dancer?

  • There are few requirements. We ask that each participant be a Howard University student, raise a minimum of $50, and stay for the 12 hours.

 

• Can I bring my $50 to the event?

  • We encourage people to raise their money online because it's easier for us to keep track of. However, we do still allow those already signed up on our website to bring their money to the dance marathon event in an envelope with your name on it.

 

• What should I bring?

  • You won't need to bring much and please don't bring anything valuable. Be sure to wear comfortable clothes - gym shorts and sneakers. A free T-shirt will be provided with your team's color. Feel free to over-accessorize with your team's color. Bandanas, hats, sunglasses, costume jewelry, and face paint are highly encouraged and spirit points will be awarded to those who go above and beyond!

 

• What do we do for 12 hours?

  • There will be a full schedule for the 12-hour dance marathon. The time will be filled with music, performances, kid stories, games, snacks, and two full meal times.

 

• What if I am not part of an organization that participates in Meccathon?

  • Any student can sign up to be a dancer for Meccathon and involvement within an organization is not required. Teams can be made on helpmakemiracles.org/event/meccathon15. They can consist of anywhere from 1-1,000,000 people, so you can grab a group of friends, your roommates, or dance as an individual.

 

• Do you judge on dancing skills?

  • No....and yes. There is no skill level required for dancing at the event. However, winning a dance off might earn your team some extra spirit points!

 

• Who is eligible to register?

  • Any undergraduate student at Howard University is able to sign up as a dancer for the spring dance marathon event. Faculty, alumni, and community members are able to sign up as spirit dancers as well.

 

• How do I raise my $50?

  • There are endless ways to raise your minimum.

    • You can ask friends and family to donate to your personal fundraising page on helpmakemiracles.org/event/meccathon15 (coming soon).

    • You can go canning! Many dancers raise their $50 minimum and more during a few hours of canning.

    • You can host your own fundraising event like a bake sale for example. Many student organizations host their own events like bake sales, car washes or restaurant nights to benefit their fundraising total.

    • Put up a flyer in your workplace or your parent's workplace to reach co-workers as well.

    • To view more fundraising ideas, click here.

 

• Why do we stand for 12 hours?

  • We pledge to stand for 12 hours to represent the long nurses' shifts at the hospital.

 

• What if I cannot stand for 12 hours, can I still be involved?

  • You can 100% still get involved. If you are interested in being a dancer, but for health reasons cannot stand for the full 12 hours, we can make accommodations. Contact our 2015-2016 Executive Director, Jelissa Jackson, at meccathon.dm@gmail.com with any concerns. 

 

For more information about getting involved, send an email to meccathon.dm@gmail.com with additional questions/comments.