Dance marathon to aid regional children's hospital

For 24 straight hours, Mississippi State students will sway to the music April 18 and 19 to raise money for LeBonheur Children's Hospital.

To be held in the McCarthy Gymnasium on campus, the 1998 MSU Dance Marathon is being organized by the Children's Miracle Network, an international non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for and awareness of children's hospitals.

Mississippi State is among some 30 public and private institutions-and the only one in Mississippi-currently participating in the CMN dance marathon project. The Office of Student Life and the Panhellenic and Interfraternity councils are campus coordinators.

Dancing begins at 10 a.m. on the 18th and concludes at the same time the following day. Various awards will be presented to the best teams. Prior to the no-sitting, no-sleeping challenge, team members will be soliciting pledges of support from throughout campus and the Starkville community.

The Children's Miracle Network joined with Pennsylvania State University in 1993 to develop national student-run fundraisers such as dance marathons. All donations raised through the events go directly to designated CMN hospitals like Memphis, Tenn.-based LeBonheur.

Founded in 1952, LeBonheur has become the Mid-South's leading pediatric medical center, as well as the teaching facility of the University of Tennessee, Memphis' pediatrics department. The 225-bed hospital annually serves more than 100,000 children in portions of Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Missouri.

For additional information on the dance marathon, telephone 325-3322.