Mustang Marathon

It’s that time of year again. Yep, give it up for MustangMarathon. Whoop whoop!

This will be the third year that I’ve been a dancer inthis campus-wide event, and I can’t say that I’ve everbeen more proud to be a part of something so extraordinary.

Dancers, coordinators, directors and advisors have workedtirelessly every year to see this remarkable event intofruition.

For those of you who are unaware of this event, here is a littleMustang Marathon 101:

Mustang Marathon is a 28-hour dance marathon that raises moneyto help children affected by HIV/AIDS.

Fifty percent of the funds will benefit the Elizabeth GlaserPediatric AIDS Foundation. Another beneficiary is Dallas’ ownBryan’s House, which serves as a home away from home, wherekids can just be kids.

The event takes place at Dedman Center for Lifetime Sports andruns two days, Friday evening through Saturday. You sign up to be adancer, and each dancer is asked to raise a certain amount of moneyup until the actual marathon.

Through funds that are raised, medical treatment can be providedto children to increase their lifespan and improve their quality oflife. The money also goes toward research.

The marathon itself is like one massive all-nighter. For 28hours, dancers must be awake and on their feet.

For those of us putting on this event, it’s a fight thatlasts 28 hours and ends at the stroke of 10 on Saturday with a hugefinale in celebration of a successful event.

However, for children affected by HIV/AIDS, it’s a fightthat has no definite cutoff. They don’t know when it willend. All they know is that they must keep fighting.

You would not believe the kind of enthusiasm for life that thesechildren have. Every year at this event, we have special guestspeakers who share their stories with us.

And every year, as I stand in awe of such strength and couragein someone whose innocence still reigns, I cannot restrain myselffrom tears. It amazes me to see someone fight their hardest whenthey’re at their weakest.

The fundraising is the most difficult part. It’s hardhitting people up for money.

But it’s a commitment that is well worth the efforts when10 a.m. on Saturday rolls around, and the official figure of whatwe have raised is revealed.

You must think that 28 hours is a long time to stay awake.

Well, it’s not just 28 hours, because the event starts at6 p.m. on Friday, which means that most of us have been up that dayfor class.

So it’s more like 36 hours.

It’s so much fun, though. They keep us awake with aplethora of activities. We dance, and we play games like dodgeball.

They bring in real dancers who teach us how to swing dance,belly dance, line dance and salsa. I look forward to playing PS2 onthe huge projection screen every year.

We have a tradition at Mustang Marathon. Every year, there is aline dance that is created from a jock jam, and we must do it everyhour, on the hour.

Someone will get on stage and announce “line dance,”and everyone comes together to do it. By the close of the event, wewill have done it for the 28th time.

Days after the marathon, when I hear a song from the dance,I’m tempted to get up and do the line dance.

So if you aren’t doing anything this weekend or have timeto spare, drop by Dedman and see us dance as though we’venever watched Darren’s Dance Moves before.

If you can, please drop by between the hours of 3 a.m. and 8a.m. — the most difficult time to stay awake and whenabsolutely no one comes to see us.

Those who commit to this event every year would not do so if wedid not believe in its cause whole-heartedly and above all, believein the sanctity of life.

There’s a song that I’ve adapted to this event. LikeLeann Womack sings, “When you get the choice to sit it out ordance, I hope you dance.” We’ve made the choice todance. My hope is that more and more people make this choice everyyear.

Ann Truong is a columnist for The Daily Campus. She may bereached at [email protected].