The Southern Indiana Dance Marathon (SIDM) is scheduled to return to campus Saturday as part of a fundraiser for Riley Hospital for Children. It is being held in the Screaming Eagles Complex from noon to midnight.

The university communications page said the event is about participants “standing on their feet and dancing” for 12 hours with “no sitting or sleeping” to raise money for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. This is its tenth year on campus with a goal of raising $50,000.

Students and staff register or donate to attend the event. Registration is $50 and covers event entry, snacks and meals for the day. 

Hairo Rivas, senior international business administration major, is the co-president of SIDM. “With COVID, there are more children who need us now than ever. We are striving to make sure no child or family is left to fight their battles alone,” he said.

Rivas said the organization was on hold for the past two years because of COVID-19. “It was impossible to do the marathon for the safety of everyone,” he said.

The Dance Marathon is the last event scheduled for Riley Week. The events scheduled from Wednesday to Saturday have been announced on the @sidancemarathon Instagram. Some events include For the Kids Karaoke and Pie for Ri. All events are meant to donate money and promote awareness for Riley Hospital for Children.

Liam Collins, junior nursing major and student trustee, expressed support for the event. “I am so pumped that this amazing event is back on campus,” he said. “The SIDM is such a fantastic event and opportunity for students and other members of the USI community to have a great time and impact people’s lives while doing it.”

Collins said all of this is for the kids and urges anyone with the time to go out and see what’s going on.

“As a future nurse who aspires to treat pediatric patients, this cause resonates with me very strongly,” he said. 

According to the Riley Children’s Foundation, the Riley Dance Marathon program started in Indiana in 1991 and is the “fastest-growing fundraising event program” with more than 60 high school and collegiate programs.

“We are really focusing on USI’s size and commitment to bettering the community and helping those children at the hospital,” Rivas said.

RIvas said for the 10-year anniversary of the event being on campus, the theme of the event is “10 years of magic and miracles.”

“We are really making sure to students that their money is going towards something magical, and it’s a miracle that these kids are continuing to battle,” he said.

Interested students can visit the Dance Marathon website to register for the event or donate to Riley Hospital for Children.