By Nevaeh Enyeart
For six straight hours students stand on their feet at the Riley Dance Marathon. Not dancing, but in honor of the patients at Riley Hospital for Children who can’t stand for themselves.
What may look like a fun after-school activity is really a serious and significant fundraiser.
“it’s something more than just an after-school activity,” senior RJ Townsend said. “It’s pretty serious, but we like to make it lighthearted.”
Townsend has been a part of the Riley Dance Marathon committee all four years of high school, this year being president. With Townsend being busy completing college applications, vice presidents Kathryn Enos and Ava Flowers have been a huge help with planning this event.
Townsend said information about last year’s marathon didn’t get out fast enough and didn’t reach as many people, causing the marathon to lose popularity and not raise enough money. To gain back popularity and be able to raise more money than last year, the committee started a lot earlier, using every bit of time they could to plan and get the word out.
“It’s gonna take some heavy hands and loads of work,” Townsend said.
The Riley Dance Marathon is a fundraiser held in the main and auxiliary gyms to raise money for sick kids at Riley. The event will be in April but an exact date has not been determined.
Kids at Riley or who have been to Riley are able to share their story and show how Riley has impacted their life.
“It’s just a really good community based event to all come together and help sick kids,” junior Ava Flowers said.
Flowers was the secretary of the committee last year and hopes to move up to president next year.
Day after day Riley affects the lives of those you might least expect.
“It is a hospital, so it’s sad,” senior Ruth Sherck said. “But I have had some really joyful moments there, too.”
Sherck spent time at Riley to finish developing when she was born to become healthy enough to go home. Then more recently she has been back to Riley to see a neurologist.
Sherck’s brother, Malachi, passed away at the age of 19 at Riley. The hospital played a crucial part in how Malachi lived as long as he did.
When Malachi was about a month and a half old his intestines twisted and he needed surgery. After the surgery Sherck’s family was told they could expect to have only four more days with Malachi … but this turned into 19 years.
After Malachi’s passing on Dec. 12, 2023, fundraisers helped raise money for the family. The Shercks were able to raise enough money to get a wagon in Malachi’s name at Riley.
“Riley specializes in children so they know how to help you through what you are going through,” junior Danika Keller said.
Keller was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, meaning Keller’s pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin. She wears a pump to give her insulin and a Dexcom to read her blood sugar.
Keller was overly thirsty with nothing being able to satisfy her thirst, prompting her to go to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital and eventually getting transferred to Riley.
At Riley, Keller went to classes to learn how to work her diabetic tools and how to eat better.
She was also diagnosed with ovarian failure at Riley after tests and many doctor appointments finding out her ovaries don’t work.
Keller says the Riley Dance Marathon is a special thing to her to raise money for children and it means a lot with everything she’s been through at Riley.
Riley impacts the lives of many people around Delta High School, and the Riley Dance Marathon gives them the opportunity to share their story and help raise money for others who are at Riley.
“I want people to know that their money isn’t just going to some random place that they’ve never heard of,” Sherck said. “But that it’s a major hospital that has major programs that nationwide is important and that it affects kids.”
