Otterbein University hosted its first OtterThon dance marathon event to benefit Nationwide Children's Hospital. Over 100 students participated in dancing for seven straight hours while raising funds. Special guests from two families being helped by Nationwide Children's Hospital shared their stories. While the event may not raise as much as Ohio State's BuckeyeThon, organizers were pleased with the turnout and enthusiasm for supporting hospitalized children who cannot dance themselves.

1. Dance marathon comes to
Otterbein
By EVA ZIELINSKIPublished 03/11/13 8:48am
On March 1, 2013, the Campus Center walls were covered in balloons, bright strands of lights,
booming with upbeat dance music and were holding a capacity of over 100 students in green and
blue t-shirts all displaying the same letters: F.T.K. These letters stand for “ for the kids” because
the entire event is centered on DANCING for all the hospitalized children who can’t.
For the first time, Otterbein University hosted OtterThon which was a dance MARATHON that
entails dancing for seven straight hours while the proceeds are given to Nationwide Children’s
Hospital.
Caylee Whipple, a senior public relations major, was the executive director and main creator for
the event. She explained that several other colleges have participated in similar events for
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the most recent example included Ohio State University’s 13th
annual BuckeyeThon which made $608,000. Whipple said that they probably won’t reach that
large sum of money with OtterThon’s first go around but was thoroughly impressed with a
turnout of over 100 participants.
The evening kicked off with a morale team performing a dance number to a mix of party music
to get everyone excited and pumped up to dance. Later on in the evening, the morale team taught
their routine to the participants in a step-by-step process. A Zumba instructor also took the stage
to teach routines to the participants, but there were many other leisure activities to participate in.
A magician was wandering around the room playing card tricks on groups of students. There
were balloons, GLOW STICKS and corn hole that served as alternate entertainment while
taking a break from jumping around to the music.
Sophomore public relations major Blake Jones said he was having a good time while
participating in some of the vent activities.
“I think it is very exciting and for a good cause,” he said. “It’s so great that we have the people to
support it.”
In addition to a D.J., a magician and over 100 students, there were a few special guests who
attended the event as well. Two miracle families with patients from Nationwide made a special
appearance in the campus center to share their stories with the participants.
The first family to speak was the Elek Family. Mrs. Elek explained that her 1-year-old daughter
spent three months in the J4 Neuralgia-Induced Cavitational Osteonecrosis in 2011. Her daughter
now has to wear a feeding tube because she has no suck, swallow or gag reflex. The infant girl
wears hand splints and has recently received supramalleolar orthoses, which is a brace used to
support deformities, for her feet because she has hypotonic, a low concentration of solution

2. around blood cells, in her core and extremities. Overall, she has been diagnosed with
quadriplegic infantile cerebral palsy and bilateral hemiplegia, both disorders are paralytic
conditions and hinder development, and regularly sees over ten doctors.
The second family to speak at the event was that of nine-year-old Avalon Havan. Avalon was
diagnosed with a cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia when she was very young but has
been cured of it since then. However, she suffers from traumatic brain damage that causes a
disturbance in the process of her brain sending signals on how to move her legs which has forced
her to use a wheelchair for most of her mobility. Even though Avalon has to use a wheelchair,
that doesn’t keep her from having a good time. Her mother decorated her wheelchair with multi-
colored CHRISTMAS LIGHTS special for the event.
Both families expressed their thankfulness to Nationwide and to Otterbein for all that they have
done to help their children. The kids also enjoyed themselves according to Avalon’s mother.
“Both girls were eager to go to the bathroom just to change into their Otterbein shirts, they’re
having a blast,” said Alicia Hall regarding her two daughters.