Beginning at 6 p.m. on Feb. 20, Georgetown students will have the opportunity to dance the night away – literally – at the university’s annual Hoyathon. The 24-hour dance marathon, which will be held in Sellinger Lounge in the Leavey Center, raises money for the KIDS Mobile Medical Clinic in Georgetown University Hospital’s pediatrics department and the Children’s National Medical Center in D.C.

“Hoyathon is a really great time. There are tons of free food, prizes, games and music,” Hoyathon Chair Ally Kruger (COL ’09) said. “And then in the morning, when you actually get to dance with kids, who have been through really horrific medical situations, you realize what the event is for.”

Last year, Kruger and others raised over $41,000 for KMMC and CNMC. This year however, the board hopes to raise over $50,000 for the medical groups.

Participants in Hoyathon ask for donations in return for a pledge to dance for 24 hours. Kruger said that Hoyathon also receives a great deal of donations on the day of the event.

“There is a lot of fundraising that occurs at the event. We get a lot of foot traffic with people coming through,” Kruger said. “We receive donations from parents, prospective students, medical students and professors.”

“It serves underserved areas in D.C.,” Kruger said. “The van is really cool. It goes to high schools. It goes to homeless shelters and provides care for kids there.”

Each Hoyathon team consists of an unlimited amount of members. While every member of a team does not have to be dancing throughout the entire night, one member from each team has to be on the dance floor throughout the 24-hour period.

“In the past, it has been that all the dancers dance for 24 hours,” Kruger said. “We just realized that that wasn’t something that a normal Georgetown student could commit to because we are such busy people.”

Every year, the Hoyathon board meets to decide which medical groups will receive the money raised. Kruger said that the board prefers to donate to non profit hospitals that reach out to a variety of groups in the community.

“Children’s National Medical Center is a non profit hospital, and we really like the idea of giving to a hospital that is not going to turn any people away,” Kruger said. “They treat people all across the country.”

For the past three years, Hoyathon has also donated to the Kids Mobile Medical Clinic, which focuses on providing free health care to the underprivileged from birth to age 21 in the D.C. area.

For many, Hoyathon continues to be a truly inspiring event. Kruger, who has participated in Hoyathon since her freshman year, said that the event was very influential for her future as a Hoya.

“Hoyathon is the reason I came to Georgetown,” Kruger said. “It brings the Georgetown community together but also raises money for a really great cause.”

any of the university’s student groups participate in the event as well. The Corp and the Georgetown club ultimate frisbee team are among the many groups that sponsor and DJ at the event for an hour. Dr. Daniel Porterfield (COL ’83), the senior vice president for strategic development at Georgetown, will also DJ for an hour.

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