The Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society's UB chapter hosted a 12-hour dance-a-thon beginning Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m. and continuing until Sunday morning in the Student Union. The Hawaiian themed all-night dance party raised over $500 to benefit Gilda's Club Western New York, a resource for cancer patients and their families.
Gilda's Club Western New York, is a non-profit organization and according to its Web site is "a place where people with cancer and their families and friends can join with others to actively involve themselves in building social and emotional support as a supplement to medical care."
PES President Liz Lagowski said the honor society has been working on the dance-a-thon since January of last year. "This year is our kick-off year," said Lagowski, "We're hoping to build it up."
The all-nighter included music, ethnic dance performances, silent auctions and prize giveaways, including gift certificates and merchandise from over 30 businesses.
"The marathon is more like a 'go 'til you drop,'" said Lagowski. "Whoever raises the most money gets the grand prize." The grand prize was a $200 gift certificate for Southwest Airlines, awarded to Rachel Ricotta, a UB student. Second prize was a DVD player, which went to Amanda Nye, a student at Bryant and Stratton University.
Some of the other prizes came from event sponsors, including Ben Garelick Jewelers, Eastern Mountain Sports, Gold's Gym, TGI Friday's, Applebee's, Salvatore's Italian Gardens, the University Bookstore and The College Store. Every participant went home with a Dance-a-thon 2002 T-shirt.
"Basically, we wanted to give the dancers something for participating," said Lagowski, who hopes the wearable souvenirs will serve as advertising for future dance-a-thons.
Sponsors, spectators who paid at the door, and T-shirt sales, as well as the $50 registration fee paid by participants, contributed to the donation money. Sponsors also made monetary and item donations, such as food, to the event itself.
Gilda's Club is named for Gilda Radner, a comedian who passed away in 1989 from ovarian cancer. She hoped for places for cancer patients, as well as their families and friends, to receive support like she received while suffering from the condition.
"[This dance-a-thon is] very personal for me," said Robin Washousky, a graduate student in the UB MBA program and senior advisor of PES. "I lost an uncle in January to cancer, and I'm really glad to be part of something to build a different type of care - not just medical care for the patients, but care for their families and friends."
Preethi Govindaraj, a senior management major and liaison for Gilda's Club and PES, agreed. Her family also lost a member to cancer. "He came from a family with nine brothers and sisters, and even that was not enough. You really need a supportive community," said Govindaraj.
The Western New York chapter of Gilda's Club is located at 6225 Sheridan Drive, Suite 206 in Williamsville. The club can be reached via e-mail at gildas@buffnet.net or by phone at 632-3242.
