Welcome to IUDM 32: All About the Spring FUNdraising Challenge!

By: Samantha England

It’s that time of year again… welcome to IUDM 32! With hundreds of new committee members joining the ranks of our 18 committees, it’s time to get the ball rolling with our Spring FUNdraising Challenge. This is the ten-week-long fundraising push that helps committee members engage with IUDM as an organization, form new relationships, and collect donations for Riley!

The Spring Fundraising Challenge is a great way to usher new committee members into fundraising, with new challenges each week. Committees earn points for their overall placement in each challenge, and at the end of the ten weeks, the committee with the most points gets a $3,000 donation from SFC’s generous sponsors, Solution Tree and Sarge Rentals. Last Sunday’s live stream announced our Week One challenge: registering on DonorDrive, customizing your page, and following all IUDM social media accounts.

But it’s not just about the fundraising. This challenge also helps everyone get to know each other a little better and work up a sense of friendly competition. While the winner’s donation is coveted, at the end of the day, we do it all for Riley, not just to win. The Spring Fundraising Challenge especially prioritizes learning about Riley and IU Dance Marathon as a whole.

“SFC is about so many different aspects of IUDM,” says VP of Finance Isaiah Cox. “There are weeks related to the history of IUDM, to the connection to Riley Hospital for Children, as well as education on different topics regarding IUDM.”

Last week on the live stream, we learned that SFC itself has been around for six years! More historical and fun facts will be shared throughout the challenge, which also encompasses two important weeklong education initiatives within IUDM: Riley Week and Ryan and Ashley Week. Both of these events encourage us to continue with IUDM’s mission, through education about Riley Hospital for Children and about two inspirational advocates for pediatric health— Ryan White and Ashley Louise Crouse.

There’s excitement in the air as we enter a new year, and with 256 days (or 256 jelly beans) until the Marathon, we could not be more ready to see what IUDM 32 holds! Stay tuned for the SFC live stream every Sunday at 10 pm.