Getting Anxious for Rockin’ For Riley? We Are Too!

This is it! The weekend is finally approaching for the third annual Kirkwood’s Rockin’ For Riley! You will NOT want to miss any of it this year.  We’ve done some serious promo (Check out our incredible flash mob video below) and now the time has come to CELEBRATE.  There will be a battle of the bands competition throughout the day with a new iPod Nano Giveaway, Hot dog eating contest, dunk tank, carnival games, a chance to meet some truly inspiring Riley Families and SO MUCH MORE!  We want to see everyone out enjoying the weekend and supporting IUDM and Riley Hospital for Children April 9th from 1-10pm.

The line up for the day:

1pm: Citriphonic

2pm: The Main Squeeze

3pm: Jester Kings

4pm: IUDM Idol Finalists Casey Angst, Mack Sterr, and Matt Tatum

5pm: Crescent Ulmer

5:30pm: Hot Dog Eating Contest!

6pm: The Pharos

7pm: Sure Thing

8pm: Brice Fox & Dan Weber

9pm: House Block Party spun by DJ Bizerkey!

Leave a post below and let us know what you are most excited for!

We can only hope we will all be lucky enough to hear a sneak peak of the new Brice Fox and Dan Weber song –>Check it out

 

Thanks to all of the businesses and organizations that are contributing to make this event a HUGE success: Cassady Electrical, Naughty Dogs, Famous Franks, Campus Candy, Glowfest, IUSA, Bruster’s, Kilroy’s on Kirkwood, and of course Riley Hospital for Children!

Kirkwood’s Rockin’ For Riley

Come check out IUDM’s 3rd Annual Kirkwood Rockin’ for Riley!

Who: Everyone in the Bloomington area. Free and open to the public!

Where: Kirkwood Ave. between Indiana and Dunn.

When: April 9th 1-10pm

Why: To raise money and awareness for IUDM and Riley Hospital for Children!

Featuring live music all day from:

Citriphonic, Sure Thing, Jester Kings, David Campbell Trio, Crescent Ulmer, The Pharos, Main Squeeze, Brice Fox & Dan Weber, and a closing block party with music by DJ Bizerkey!!!

This is an event you don’t want to miss. Bring your friends, your family, your dog, EVERYONE, and come enjoy a great day of music and fun!

Here is a great sneak peek at some of the incredible music you can come hear for FREE!

 

Seven Hours Left to Stand for Those Who Can’t

At this point we’ve all been here for 29 hours and I know at this point we’re all starting to get delirious and wonder why the heck we raised money to stand for 36 hours!

I’ll tell you why we did it, for the kids who can’t stand.

I was listening to Stacie tell her Riley story and her words hit home; how would you feel if you couldn’t stand for one hour? If you were stuck in a hospital room all day, everyday, for days, weeks, and months on end? You would be more than willing to raise the money to stand for 10 minutes! Like others, my nephew spent the first six months of his life in a hospital; he could not stand for himself, so I stood for him. We’ve been given an opportunity to show how much we care for those children who aren’t so lucky. You don’t have to have a personal story or a personal connection to Riley Hospital, but by sitting and doing nothing you are wasting the opportunity to show your compassion and love for others.

Take a look at your wrist band, visit the inspiration tent, and listen to the Riley stories. These children all went through a time when they could not stand, so stand for them. These children all went through a time when they could not dance, so dance for them. And make these last 7 hours better than the previous 29!

-Amber M

Almost done

I honestly wish that I could turn around and begin this experience all over again. I have never been more happy with a decision than joining IUDM this year. It will easily be the greatest thing I remember about my college career. I look back and hit myself for not becoming involved earlier, and now it is almost over. I thank every single person here for helping me through this entire thing, you have all inspired me to continue my involvement with not only Riley but other organizations. I wish everyone the best in these last 8 hours and beyond. Let us all meet back on the dance floor for one amazing rave!

Why They Are Here

Hey everyone, this is James from Marathon Relations checking in. The Riley Kid talent show just finished a little more than an hour ago, and let me just say it was amazing. These kids were so excited to be on stage in front of everyone, and, after hearing their stories, it truly is inspiring to see these kids excited showing their talents. It goes with out saying that these kids having been looking forward to this weekend more than any of us dancers, committee members, and DGR’s ever could be. They truly come here to see all of us dancing for them.

Keep watching the webcast at http://www.iudm.org and FTK!

James

R.W.

This year, every DMer had the exceptional opportunity to hear one of the most inspirational women in our generation speak. Jeanne White is a saint on earth, in my opinion. As the mother of Ryan White, the brave individual to whom this marathon is dedicated, she has endured and shared more than I could ever imagine in my lifetime. Her story of struggle, pain, acceptance and hope have brought tears to the eyes of countless individuals over the past 20 years of IU Dance Marathon. She continues to spread the legacy of Ryan as we enter a new decade of tribute to our courageous hero. Let’s remember why we are dancing and who we are helping as we enter the second half of the marathon.

FTK RW

-Meredith

I can’t describe it

Having this be my first and last marathon, I really can’t describe the feelings. I wish entirely that this won’t end in some instances. I sit here at the marathon listening to the kids give their stories, watching the dancers run around having a great time, and I just get anxious. Why hadn’t I stepped up earlier in my college career? It is too late now for me, but not for everyone else. I pray that people will realize what IUDM can do to a person. It is time to rise and shine and start Day 2 of the marathon. Who is with me?

Gavin F.

Just went canning!

Gooooood morning IUDM!  I just got back from canning outside on Kirkwood and we raised over $100 FTK!  Even though the marathon is in progress people continue to donate for this wonderful cause.  We are so lucky to have a community that supports our organization with such compassion.  I am having a great time here and i’m looking forward to seeing the sun come up!

Still going strong,

-John

Why am I Still Here?

My first year at IUDM was in 2008 while I was still a pledge. I did not know what to expect going in to it, other than the fact that it was something that I had to do. That weekend changed my life. I have never been more moved from an event of such a magnitude in my entire life. It was really an incredible experience for me and I made the decision to continue IUDM ever since. This is my third year now, serving two different years on a committee.

IUDM to me, is one of the most meaningful attributes that Indiana University has to offer. Few other parts of the country come together the way that IU does. IU has so many passionate students that work so hard to help the Dance Marathon. As long as I am here, I will continue to be apart of it.

-Ian S.

It is here

Tonight marks what many consider the beginning of IUDM. Every committee will be meeting tonight at 8pm to start preparing the HPER for the best IUDM to ever grace IU. Prepare yourselves my friends. We have a long few days in front of us but together we will culminate 20 years of work, sweat, tears, and happiness into something beyond what anyone thought was possible. Ryan, Ashley, and all the others who unfortunately passed will be watching down on us and keeping us full of their passion and guidance as we venture together through the hours. Believe in yourself and believe in one another. We owe every ounce of our energy to the children at Riley and we will not stop. Cheer on the dancers and each other to keep their heads up. There is no reason to stop. If you ever get to a point where it seems like too much, visit a committee member for guidance, or look to one of the many Riley kids that will be there. I promise you the feeling will disappear. Our time has come DMers. It is time to dance and time to believe. We will make this the best IUDM ever, and we will do it with pride. Don’t hesitate to say thank you to anyone participating, because just one small word of appreciation can make someone turn around and start giving 110%. Eric Davis, our president, has a mission, and that is to have every person step out of that old building this weekend with nothing but the positive feelings about their experience — to want to be involved with IUDM as they continue through their college career. Do you part everyone, and together we will achieve the impossible. Thank you for your time, work, and effort ladies and gentlemen, you all are the definition of inspiration.

FTK, RW, ALC