The Baldwin Wallace Dance Marathon, is partnership with the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation to raise money to fight against HIV and AIDS in children, is back in person for their 21st year. 

The Dance Marathon itself is a 12-hour long event taking place on February 26 at the  Student Activity Center. Registered dancers will be on their feet for the entire 12-hour period, according to Student Director Kelsey Haeichel said. 

 “We do not sit down for those 12 hours, we stand and fight against HIV and AIDS,” Haeichel said. 

Money raised through the event goes towards diagnostic testing, medication, and treatment plans for children affected by HIV and AIDs, Haeiche said. At this point, the organization has raised over $6000 for EGPAF.  

Each dancer must raise at least $150 through different fundraising events by the day of the Dance Marathon. Participants can continue fundraising during the 12-hour time frame.  

Cassie White, the fundraising chair for Dance Marathon, said the biggest fundraiser during the event is a basket raffle with baskets made with donations from different companies. Additionally, she says dancers can raise money by posting social media blasts throughout the day. 

Another fundraiser takes place during the last 3 hours of Dance Marathon where people pay $10 to get into the building and support dancers and see the band and DJ play. 

This year there are 83 dancers signed up for the dance marathon. Haeichel believes that considering the long pandemic hiatus, this number is a good start.  

“We really haven’t had a Dance Marathon in two years because of COVID,” Haeichel said. “Not a lot of people really know what it is or what it’s about. Before COVID, everyone signed up, recruiting wasn’t an issue, like it was a huge thing on campus,” Haeichel said.