Hello! My name is Chris Bezdedeanu and I am so thrilled to be joining our Executive Board as the Dancer Communications Chair for OttoTHON 2020. Joining our organization as a first-year dancer only a year ago, there were a lot of terms and facts about OttoTHON that I was unfamiliar with, but that are SO important to understanding exactly who we are as an organization. So whether you’re a first-year dancer or a graduating Senior with us - or somewhere in between - here are the ABCs of OttoTHON that every dancer should know!

Always FTK!

If you’ve ever seen us either on campus or on social media, you know one thing for certain, and that is that we are For The Kids (FTK)! But what does that mean exactly? Well, it means that we are passionate about supporting our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital and its patients, who are at the core of everything we do. Our dancers also often form deep relationships with some of the kids that we meet and support throughout the year by celebrating their birthdays, sending them cards before an upcoming treatment, and attending their activities outside of the hospital once they are out of treatment!

FTBaskets

Every year, OttoTHON holds an annual basketball tournament to fundraise during our Spring Event (see “S” below). Unfortunately, we were unable to hold it this semester, but be on the lookout for sign-up info next Fall!

Circle of Hope

At the culmination of every OttoTHON dance marathon, we form a big circle around the room to reflect on our experiences at the event after the big Reveal (see “R” below). The families who have all shared their stories at the event will stand at the center, allowing us to be reminded where our fundraising goes and how it affects the patients treated at our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital here in Syracuse. During this special moment, the patient families walk around the circle, cutting off each students’ band from their wrist, symbolizing the hospital bands that the kids get to take off once they’re able to leave the hospital after treatment. Cue the waterworks.

Donor Drive

As a dancer at any level, this tool will be your best friend! Donor Drive is our online fundraising platform where you will register and collect donations from your friends and family. It allows you to customize your page to share why you’re participating, send emails to potential donors, create a Facebook Fundraiser and monitor your personal fundraising goal. As a general reminder, all donations are tax-deductible to the extent required by law.

Executive Board

Did you know that our organization is entirely student-run? Our Executive Board is made up of 15 amazing individuals, who work alongside our Steering Committee to plan and market our dance marathon, as well as manage our financial operations and recruit dancers.

FUNdraising

On average, nearly 90% of our fundraising total comes from peer-to-peer fundraising. Utilizing Donor Drive, a lot of these donations also come in small amounts of $20 or less, as our dancers are frequently coming up with new and fun ways to fundraise for themselves, such as Bingo boards, Venmo Wars, “canning”, or offering other incentives in exchange for donations. Every penny is FTK! Be sure to be on the lookout for fun tips and challenges from our Fundraising Chair throughout the summer on our social media platforms.

Gaelen & Danielle

Gaelen is our Dance Marathon Advisor and Danielle is our Hospital Advisor from Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital (see “U” below)!

Hospital Parade

This is a special tradition that is quite unique to OttoTHON. By virtue of having our local children’s hospital right off-campus, every participant takes part in a parade to Upstate to perform our Morale Dance (see “M” below) in front of the building for all of the kiddos currently in treatment who can’t join us, but who we are still fighting for, each and every day.

Indiana University

In 1984, Ryan White was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS following a bad blood transfusion. The summer before he was to attend college, he unfortunately passed away, but at the young age of 13, Ryan had used his media attention to help others and his fight inspired a generation. So, in 1991, with a promise to keep Ryan’s memory alive, students and friends at Indiana University founded Dance Marathon in his memory, raising $10,900 in its first year. The rest, they say, is history. Today, Miracle Network Dance Marathon has reached over 400 colleges and universities nationwide, with 100% of all funds raised going directly to the school's local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. To date, we have collectively raised over $300 million to fight pediatric illness and inspire hope to ensure that no child or family is ever fighting alone.

Jail

Utilizing “Jail” is one of our favorite in-event fundraising techniques - and it could be yours too! Dancers can donate a certain amount to send their friends and teammates to jail, where they will then have to fundraise their own “bail”, which goes toward their own individual fundraising total. This is also a fun way to engage with other influential members of our campus community to get them involved in fundraising too. Do you have anyone in mind that you would send first?

Kids

I would be remiss if I talked about OttoTHON and did not mention our Miracle Kids! Essentially, these are kids who have been, or are currently being treated at Upstate and who are the young faces of our organization.. This year, Abby, Archie, Evan, Garrett, Mason, Victoria, Danika and Delilah are returning Miracle Kids, and we are so excited to announce that Lexi will be joining them as well! These kids and their families are like literal rockstars at our events and we always enjoy getting to interact with them and show them off on our social media platforms. Their stories of hope inspire us everyday and they are just one of the many reasons why OttoTHON holds a special place in all of our hearts.

Like a Kid

Here at OttoTHON, we believe in remembering what it’s like to be a kid again. So whether you choose to dance like a kid, play like a kid, or fight like a kid (or all three!), embrace your inner kid with us for the day and become a miracle-maker for all of the patients at Upstate.

Morale

Throughout the year, our wonderfully-talented Morale Co-Chairs work together to choreograph a Morale Dance for us to perform at the top of every hour that they will teach participants at the dance marathon event. Their committee also works to bring energy and enthusiasm to participants to keep everyone engaged and excited all day long. Don’t worry if you can’t nail the Morale Dance on the first try - after the first few hours, you’ll have it memorized in no time!

Network

OttoTHON is truly an organization that brings together participants from all walks of life. As it just so happens, you might be introduced to some of the coolest people you’ll ever meet here! From time-to-time, we also interact with other dance marathons at nearby campuses to show our support and get new ideas. In Central New York alone, Ithaca College, Cornell University and Binghamton University have joined us in supporting Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital, uniting us under one common goal where we can celebrate our success together.

OLPs

Are you a first-year student looking to join our organization? Consider applying to be a part of our OttoTHON Leadership Program! Grab a friend too. As an OLP, we’ll bring you on-board and show you everything you need to know about OttoTHON and hopefully inspire you to join our leadership team in the future. This year alone, we have five OLPs from 2019 who currently serve on our Executive Board.

Philanthropy

Today, OttoTHON remains Syracuse University’s largest philanthropic organization on-campus. Joining our organization means joining something that is bigger than yourself and it is often both a humbling and a life-changing experience for many of our dancers. We truly are this generation fighting for the next.

Quad Tabling

On a warm sunny day in Syracuse, don’t be surprised to find a few of us tabling on the Quad. We also frequent various involvement fairs and often attend Orange Blast in the fall, so don’t be afraid to come over and say hello! We may even have some OttoTHON merch or special discounts on registration for you…

Reveal

After a whole year of fundraising, this is the moment that all of us anxiously await at the end of our 12-hour day. Our Big Reveal represents every single penny that we have fundraised together FTK. In 2019 alone, OttoTHON raised $202,428.56, finally breaking our first $200k threshold!

Spirit Week

Our annual Spring Event recognizes all of our dancers, both past and present, and allows us to kick off our new registration and fundraising cycle as an organization for our Fall Event. Each day, we have different events such as a Dining Hall Takeover, tabling and merchandise giveaways, and a candlelight vigil to recognize those who have lost their fight against pediatric illness. It’s a fun way to spread the word about OttoTHON and a great opportunity to become involved!

Team Captains

What’s a team without a leader? Here at OttoTHON, we ask every fundraising team to elect a Team Captain who serves as a special liaison between them and the Executive Board to relay information and help their teammates with fundraising. Teams are often created by fraternities, sororities, residence halls, student organizations, athletic teams, and groups of friends.

Photo courtesy of Upstate Medical University.

Upstate Golisano Children’s Hospital

Our local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital. Providing comprehensive care to patients and families throughout Central New York, 100% of our proceeds go to fund various initiatives and services that can be accessed here. In 2019, we helped to fund the construction of Golisano Center for Special Needs, a brand new facility that will help to provide comprehensive and coordinated care for kids and adolescents with various intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Venmo

The faster people can donate, the more likely they are to complete their transaction. That’s one of the reasons why Venmo is one of my favorite tools to use when fundraising! Simply request any amount of money from friends and family (even small amounts under $10!) and watch your fundraising total climb. It’s also the easiest way to fill out a Bingo board and complete many of our FUNdraising challenges!

Why

Each dancer’s personal “why” is what motivates them to dance and fundraise FTK. Even if you don’t know your own when you first decide to become involved with OttoTHON, you will certainly find it very quickly. Whenever we may become unmotivated or discouraged during tough times with our personal goals, our “why” reminds us why we're here in the first place and why OttoTHON is such a special and empowering organization to so many people within our community. I’ve chosen to keep mine written on a tiny piece of paper folded neatly inside my wallet so that I’m always carrying it with me.

Xenial

According to Merriam Webster, this is an adjective meaning “of, relating to, or constituting hospitality or relations between host and guest.” All participants, both new and old, are welcomed to OttoTHON with open arms and a friendly, positive attitude! While we may sometimes be a little loud and overly excited, we want to give you the same life-changing experiences that we have had supporting Upstate and fundraising FTK.

Year-Round

Although we only dedicate one day each year to dancing for 12 hours straight in a gymnasium surrounded by our closest and most outgoing friends and loved ones, OttoTHON truly is a year-round movement. 365 days a year, we are constantly trying to spread awareness and raise FTK at Upstate. Be sure to follow our Instagram and Facebook pages for updates!

ZERO Reasons Not to Register Today!

So… have I convinced you yet? On behalf of the entire Executive Board and everyone here at OttoTHON, we would LOVE to have you join our team, whether you’re a veteran dancer or a fresh new face to our organization. It’s never too late to become involved! Our movement truly is for anyone and everyone (and I bet it could even change in your life), so bring your friends with you - or come make new ones! Register yourself today using this link. What are you waiting for?!