For the Kids:

Eleven years ago, freshman year at The Ohio State University I came across an opportunity. An opportunity to help create this new event. An event unlike anything seen at OSU, the brainchild of Rosa Ailabouni. Rosa wanted to have a dance marathon that raised money for a beneficiary. The beneficiary became Children's Hospital. This was something I wanted to get involved with, this was something I needed to be a part of. 

Fast forward 15 months later. Over a year of laying the foundation and building the structure, planning each minute and dissecting each second the 26-hour Party with a Purpose was underway. We were thrilled to have about 80 dancers that fundraised for weeks and months, for the kids. I remember being up 41 hours to setup, run the event, and tear down - but it was worth it. We set the bar, once a vision of a student, BuckeyeThon came to realization and raised over $32,000 by the time the music ended. 

Wow.

Fast forward 10 years. The event known as BuckeyeThon had gone through many changes and evolved into a premiere campus event at Ohio State. The heart and soul put into this event by students and advisors through the years, for the kids, helped place BuckeyeThon as one of the top Children's Miracle Network Dance Marathons in the country. THON at Penn State is the pinnacle, and what they have done for kids every year for the past 40+ years is quite remarkable.

Fast forward to this past week. On our winter break, I made a trip back to Ohio and it just happened to coincide with the 11th annual BuckeyeThon. I was so excited to finally get back and see what this event has become, especially after last year's $225,000+ fundraising mark. What I got to experience on February 25th-26th still leaves me speechless and full of pride. The energy, the passion, the excitement, the mission to help kids. We struggled to get 80 dancers in year one, at BuckeyeThon 2012 they had over 1800 cheering on the kids, dancing for the kids, and going "nuts" for the kids. No dance marathon ever doubled their total, yet BuckeyeThon did that last year...and for the kids...they did it again! An astonishing total of over $454,000 was unveiled, as the new bar, as the new unprecendented mark of accomplishment for this vision that began almost 12 years ago. Well done BuckeyeThon - thank you for making the efforts of the past worth it, and for laying a new foundation for the future. For the Kids.

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Another event for the kids started last year. An opportunity arose to participate in the 1st annual Camp Games for a Cause. This philanthropic event in New York City raises money to send underprivileged kids to summer camp, for an unforgettable life experience.

This event can grow and have the same success and impact on kids as BuckeyeThon, with your help. I again will be participating in this year's Camp Games for a Cause. Please join me in supporting this event: Every dollar counts!

Please donate for the kids!

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