The 43rd Northwestern University Dance Marathon (NUDM), one of the largest entirely student-run philanthropies in the nation, will take place in just a few short days on March 3-5.
Northwestern undergraduate students will gather in a giant tent outside the Norris University Center to dance for 30 hours straight to benefit this year’s beneficiaries, GiGi’s Playhouse and the Evanston Community Foundation.
GiGi’s Playhouse is the only nationwide network of Down syndrome achievement centers for children and adults with Down syndrome, offering free educational and therapeutic programs that unleash confidence and promote continuous improvement. NUDM’s long-standing secondary beneficiary is the Evanston Community Foundation (ECF), and 2017 marks the 20th consecutive year of this partnership.
The marathon will celebrate a yearlong philanthropic effort to improve the lives of individuals with Down syndrome and to spread a message of global acceptance for people of all abilities. Since its founding in 1975, NUDM has raised over $18 million dollars for more than 30 different charitable organizations.
NUDM 2017 begins at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 3, and concludes at 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 5. A live-stream of the event can be viewed online at www.nudm.org. You can purchase merchandise and “shout-outs” to dancers at store.nudm.org. Donations for this year’s event can also be made online at fundraise.nudm.org.
Other NUDM 2017 fundraising activities that are open to the public include:
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Silent auction online from March 3, 7:00 p.m. through March 5, 1:00 a.m. It can be viewed at www.store.nudm.org/auction.
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A 5K and 10K Run around the University’s beautiful “lakefill” on March 4. The pre-registration fee is $25, though runners are encouraged to fundraise more for NUDM and its 2017 beneficiaries.
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A Kids Fair at the Norris University Center. Tickets can be purchased at Norris Center on the day of the event. The children’s fair will feature fun family-oriented activities.
–NUDM Executive Board