Courtesy: APU Dance Marathon

Courtesy: APU Dance Marathon

UTCC was transformed into a minion-themed rave Friday night for APU’s fourth annual dance marathon to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles. Students were on their feet from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. dancing, eating and hearing testimonies from families and raised more than $8,659.43 by the end of the night, according to an update on their Facebook page.

“[Participants get] a lot of blessings in hearing the survival of hardship and great work of these kids that have gone through so much,” junior liberal studies major Paige Castren said. “It’s really inspiring and I think a lot of fun to just hang out with these kids and dance and have a great time.”

Castren participated in the event her freshman and junior year and helped plan the event as a member of the board last year, her sophomore year.

“I think it’s a really fun and tangible way that APU students can help the local community,” Castren said. “The kids are suffering, and I think it’s something we don’t see sometimes in our APU bubble. It’s a really good way to spread ourselves out and make a difference.”

While students danced, took pictures in a photo booth and ate dinner donated by vendors like Chick-fil-A, Chipotle and Edible Arrangements.

The lively night boasted a party atmosphere, musical performances and Zumba lessons, but also featured “convicting messages” from families who have been impacted by the donations made by dance marathons all around Los Angeles, according to event staff member Jonathan Lopez, a junior biology major.

A father dressed as Gru from “Despicable Me” stood alongside his son, who has leukemia and was dressed as a superhero at the event. The father shared how beneficial CHLA has been for his family, and how it has made the best of his son’s condition.

“If you have to take a kid to the hospital, get them costumes because everyone will smile at them when they walk in,” he said as his son excitedly climbed on top of him and grabbed the microphone.

A mother who had lost her 6-year-old son with a tumor to a hemorrhage in October also gave her testimony and said she was thankful for the extra time the hospital had given her with her boy. Additionally, a college-aged woman, who had multiple types of cancer in high school, gave her success story as she shared that CHLA helped her survive when she didn’t see a future for herself.

“It goes into our core as Christians to definitely be convicted to help in any way that we can for kids whose parents can’t pay their medical bills,” Lopez said.

He said he sees immense value in seeing people firsthand who have been positively impacted by the donations made.

“You would be surprised how lively one child can be when they have even the worst condition. They just know how to live life to the fullest,” Lopez said.

To keep the participants unified, a choreographed morale dance was periodically performed by two of the students leading the event throughout the night to remind participants that the event was for the kids.

Dance Marathon was founded at Indiana University in 1991 and has since spread to more than 150 U.S. colleges and universities. The APU Dance Marathon was founded in 2010 by alum Alexander Rice, who was required by his pre-med fraternity to raise $1,000 for charity.

“It’s a party for [the children], with the focus and positive attention on them,” said Rice, who graduated May 2013 with a political science degree. “It’s a time to celebrate surrounded by people who care about them.”