By Claudia Loucks
Geneseo Current

Dance Marathon was introduced to the Geneseo community by the Ryan and Mandy Kelly family of Geneseo. The couple was instrumental in bringing the idea for the first Mini Dance Marathon to Geneseo High School in 2022.

Since its beginning just two years ago, the local young people involved in the event have raised over $50,000.

This year’s Dance Marathon will be from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 9, at Geneseo High School.

The event is open to high school students who have each raised $25 which will be donated to the St. Ambrose Dance Marathon which is then funneled into the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

At the University of Iowa and St. Ambrose University, Dance Marathon is a year-long organization providing support to families receiving treatment at Stead Family Children’s Hospital.

Mandy Kelly explained, “In order to help the colleges raise money, high schools can have Mini Dance Marathons.”

GHS students are in charge of marketing the Dance Marathon and businesses and community members can help support by donating to an individual, the dance captains, or by supporting the group as a whole.

“Our small community is amazing and so incredibly generous,” Mandy Kelly said. “They have embraced this mission. Last year our kids raised almost $28,000, and that is amazing!”

She continued, “It is not just about the money. These kids are showing compassion and empathy on a big stage. They are bringing awareness about pediatric illnesses and the amazing hospital we have so close to us. These kids are learning about something so much larger than themselves.”

The local Dance Marathon group currently is sponsoring four families in the community that have had children treated or who are being treated at Stead Family Children’ Hospital in Iowa City.

The mission of the 2024 DM captains is:

-Spread awareness for the families.

-Change families lives one dollar at a time.

-Each student has their own personal reason for helping, but we are all united under the mission to fight for the kids!

-“We are raising our funds by reaching out to local businesses, promoting our own donor drive accounts, and putting on fun events like the bags tournament.”

Ryan Kelly is a teacher at Geneseo High School and he, his wife Mandy, and GHS teacher Sara Bertelsen make up the advisors of the Mini Dance Marathon at GHS.

Donations to the Geneseo Mini Dance Marathon can be left or mailed to Geneseo High School, 700 North State St., Geneso, IL 61254, and marked specifically for the Dance Marathon.